Surfboard sustainability

History of Surfboard Manufacturing[edit | edit source]

Surfing is an ancient form of expression and a sense of connection to the divine that has inspired many for centuries from its inception with the ancient Polynesians to its current state as a global industry. Much has changed with the way people surf today compared to years past as it relates to the types of surfboards used then and now. The early surfboards were made out of solid pieces of wood and were primitive in design and could weigh up to a hundred pounds or more,^[1] and would be left on the beach as they were to heavy to carry home. The great thing is that these boards have a low impact on the environment, however enter the 1950's and 60's and surfboard manufacturing began to transition towards synthetic materials to polyurethane foam and fiberglass with polyester resins.^[2] Although other materials that are more human and environmental friendly have been sought out through out the years the production of surfboards has constantly remained the same with using oil based materials. It wasn't until Clark Foam the leading manufacturer of surfboard blanks had to shut down its doors in 2005 after being threatened by the EPA to clean up their act of the dispute over the use of the chemical TDI, or Toluene diisocyanate, and other waste management issues.^[3] This ended up creating a shortage of board blanks, and got the idea going for more sustainable and environmentally friendly surfboards as more people became aware that surfboard making was not a healthy business. In the end the closing of Clark Foam forced people to come up with more innovative designs,^[2] however as it seems like things are moving in the right direction the traditional polyurethane surfboards still account for 85% of surfboards in the water today.^[4] It might still be a while until all boards are Eco-friendly and recyclable as many in the surf world today wonder why change something that works the best for them. As for now kinks are still being dealt within Eco design, but hopefully someday in the near future more and more surfers will begin to see the light. Products that are not plant based, recyclable, and that have a high carbon footprint are not something that we want to encourage, since the issue pertains to our health and the health of the environment.

What Surfboards Are Mostly Made Out of Today[edit | edit source]

The below table shows the compatibility with the common used resins today with the common foams used today. An X signifies compatibility and a O signifies non-compatibility. It shows that polyester resin only works with polyurethane foam, and if it is used with polystyrene foam or EPS the foam will begin to break down.^[5] Today most of the surfboards on the market are composed of the polyurethane foam and polyester resin, although today there are many more surfboards on the market today that utilize polystyrene and EPS as a result of the closure of Clark Foam.

	Polyurethane Foam	Polystyrene Foam	Expanded Polystyrene Foam (EPS)
Polyester Resin	X	O	O
Epoxy Resin	X	X	X

All of the above use traditional fiberglass

The most significant component of a surfboard is the blank/core. Typically this is made from either polyurethane or polystyrene. Both of these are non-biodegradable and are produced from toxic fossil fuel materials. Their production requires high levels of energy, which releases large volumes of CO2 into the atmosphere.^[6] One of the reasons why surfboard blanks are mostly made out of polyurethane is because of how easy it is to shape without tearing it up with sandpaper or a planer.^[5]

Polystyrene boards, on the other hand, are a lighter alternative to traditional polyurethane foam, but it takes about two to four times the labor to shape. Polystyrene, your typical packaging foam, is not as user friendly and strong as polyurethane but with the coating of epoxy resin, they become stronger and lighter. (EPS) foam is a version of polystyrene foam, and is now gaining popularity. They are typically found in the core of Surftech's Tuflite and Firewire surfboards. The light disposable coolers that you can buy at the super market, and foam used to safeguard products in boxes or packages are also EPS foam.^[5] They're made up of tiny little foam balls similar to the size of BB's and compress together with an adhesive.^[5] The disadvantage of using EPS foam is the difficulty of hand shaping it. Sand paper is liable to tear chunks of this type foam out of the board and, because of this, surfboards made from EPS foam are typically molded by machines.^[5]

When it comes to the resins used today polyester resin is cost effective and a time-tested material, but polyester is much more susceptible to fractures and dings.^[7] Epoxy resin is lighter, stronger and more buoyant, and as a rule epoxy resin is twice as fracture resistant as polyester resin as well as being less toxic than polyester resin. The down side is that epoxy resin is twice as expensive as polyester resin.^[7]

Environmental Problems With The Current State of Board Manufacturing[edit | edit source]

The problem with surfboard manufacturing is that fiberglass, resin, and polyurethane/polyester surfboard blanks are not environmentally friendly materials. The fiberglass used holds volatile organic compounds (VOC), which are Styrene, Methyl methacrylate, Methyl ethyl ketone (AKA Methyl ethyl bad stuff), Toluene, Xylene, Acetone, Propanol.^[8] At room temperature, toluene diisocyanate is a clear, pale yellow liquid with a sharp, pungent odor. It is combustible only at high temperatures, but burns to produce toxic gases (cyanides and nitrogen oxides). It is volatile, producing toxic concentrations at room temperature.^[9] In the environment, these VOC's combine with Nitrogen Oxides in the air to create ground level ozone, which is the main component of smog. The excess resin and dirt on a surfboard is cleaned off using acetone, which also emits VOC's..^[10]

Without reliable figures on the number of surfboards being produced per annum globally it is impossible to estimate the scale of the environmental impacts of surfboard construction. An individual by the name of Rick Lomax began a website called Decarbonated Sports. What this website aims to do is educate a surfer on how much CO2 the manufacturing and maintenance of one surfboard emits into the atmosphere by using a carbon emission calculator that he put together from his research on the effects of surfboards and COs emissions. This calculator puts it into perspective and lets you know that even if the numbers are over represented it is still an eye opener on how pollutive surfboards really are. If you have a surfboard check it out. Using the simple calculator function as an example a 6 foot 3 inch short board surfboard carbon footprint is 406 lbCO2.^[11]

The creation of a polyurethane foam blank utilizes processes that are known to give off CO2, a greenhouse gas, and often employ Hydro-fluorocarbons, which are known to deplete the ozone, as the blowing agent or catalyst (Sullivan, 2007, p.10).^[12]

The overall environmental impact of fiberglass is minimal compared to the resin and foam blank. One study puts the CO2 impact of fiberglass at 5% of the total for a surfboard.2^[13]

Another significant impact of a surfboard comes from the resin used to laminate the fiberglass, comprising ~ 22% of the CO2 impact from a PU/PE board, and ~ 37% from an epoxy/EPS board^[14]

Surfboard manufacturing produces plenty of VOCs and greenhouse gasses that are emitted into the atmosphere. Part of the problem also lies in the transportation of these surfboards whether they are a finished product or not. Many surfboards and surfboard parts are made overseas and have to be transported to the US, Brazil, Australia, etc. These miles add up into yet another source of CO2 emissions. The sad thing is that for a sport that boasts environmentalism thousands of boards are made this way each year.^[15] You also have to take into account the amount of traveling surfers do to get to and from surf spots anywhere from driving a car or truck to flying to even boating. One website even goes on to say that one flight from Los Angeles California emits less CO2 on its way to Hawaii than the production of an EPS/Epoxy longboard surfboard, and that the annual production of new surfboards, roughly 750,000, creates around 220,000Tons of CO2.^[16] True or not it still places surfboard manufacturing on the opposite side of the environment.

Health Concerns With The Current Production With Surfboards[edit | edit source]

The manufacturing process of rigid closed cell polyurethane foam blanks has caused health concerns regarding chemical emissions. According to a recent study in Randolph County, North Carolina in regard to community health concerns, chemicals known to cause respiratory problems were detected. Environmental monitoring of the air surrounding the manufacturing plant indicated the presence of toluene diisocyanate (TDI), a component used in foam production. TDI was part of a particular community concern because TDI can cause irritation of the eyes, upper respiratory track, and skin. It is estimated that 5-10% of workers exposed to TDI will develop occupational asthma.^[17] TDI also appears to accelerate loss of pulmonary function, and prolonged exposure could thus result in the insidious development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.^[18] Dermal absorption can occur in workers handling uncured polyurethane foam, and non-contact work practices should perhaps be given more consideration. When avoidance of physical contact is impracticable, such workers should be provided with and required to use appropriate skin protection such as impermeable overalls, aprons, chemically resistant gloves or gauntlets, goggles or face shields, and suitable respiratory protection.^[19] The issue here is that while some do, many surfboard shapers do not use all of these protection precautions and mostly just use a breathing mask.{citation needed}. Isocyanates^[20] also known to be a part of polyurethane surfboard production also causes many of the same issues as toluene and styrene, which may involve the central nervous system and include complaints of headache, fatigue, dizziness, confusion, drowsiness, malaise, difficulty in concentrating, and a feeling of intoxication.^[21]

Although there is no substantial evidence that surfboard production causes cancer, what research there is has led to the realization that there are known carcinogens involved with the surfboard making process itself. The Department of Health and Human Services has determined that toluene diisocyanate may reasonably be anticipated to be a carcinogen. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has determined that toluene diisocyanate is possibly carcinogenic to humans.^[22] If this is true early surfboard shapers are about to begin to feel the adverse affects from working with their craft. Wayne Miyata a legendary surfboard shaper died of esophagus cancer in 2005 and began shaping in the 1960s.^[23] During the time of his shaping career was also when polyurethane and and polyester resins were being phased in from the early wood surfboards, and the EPA has yet to have been developed.^[24]

Epoxy resin is most dangerous inhaled or swallowed, (doubtful if surfboard shapers are swallowing the resin). The main effects of long-term exposure to epoxy resin are asthma, skin allergies, and irritation of the eyes, throat, nose and skin. Skin allergies from epoxy can take mere days to form with symptoms including redness, swelling, flaking and itching in the area of contact. When the skin becomes sensitized, it can become inflamed, blistered and extremely itchy from even brief contact with the resin. If the resin is inhaled or absorbed through the skin, the solvent can affect your brain in ways similar to alcohol causing dizziness, nausea, slurred speech, headache, confusion, and loss of consciousness. One chemical, Epichlorohydrin, can also be given off in the production of epoxy resins which from inhalation can cause similar symptoms as listed above. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified epicholorhydrin as a Group B2, probable human carcinogen.^[25]

Greener Ways to the Surfboard[edit | edit source]

An environmentally sound surfboard should consist of at least 25% recycled or 25% biological content, or should have an alternative blank structure consisting of renewable materials such as bamboo, wood, or the very soon possibility of mycellium.

The manufacturing of the surfboard relative to the foam blank, the fiberglass cloth used to wrap the blank, and laminating resin can all be substituted for greener materials. Recycled foam, natural fibers to replace fiberglass, and bio-resins can be used to lower the C02 footprint of a surfboard.

The environmental impact of surfboards and their production can be broken into two categories, their C02 footprint and their relative toxicity level in the materials used. An average 6' surfboard weighs roughly 5.5 lbs, yet emits over 600 lbs of C02 considering manufacturing, repair, and disposal..^[26] A significant portion of C02 output can be attributed to the resin used to laminate fiberglass to the foam blank. Up to 22% of C02 emissions in the life cycle of a surfboard can be attributed to the use of polyester or epoxy resin.^[27]

Current distributors of foam blanks are available through Greenfoam for polyurethane (PU) and polystyrene is available through Marko Envirofoam.

Current distributors of bio-resins can be found through Entropy Resin or Super Sap. Lifecycle Analysis on Super Sap shows at least a 50% reduction in CO2 emissions.4 This makes bio-resins significantly better for the environment than petroleum resins^[28]

• http://www.rerip.org
• http://web.archive.org/web/20190927090231/https://www.bamboosurfboardshawaii.com/
• http://www.ecovativedesign.com
• http://www.hempsurfboards.com
• http://www.entropyresins.com/
• http://web.archive.org/web/20161021100410/http://www.entropysurfboards.com/
• http://www.wastetowaves.org
• http://www.markofoam.com
• http://web.archive.org/web/20200812120549/http://malamacomposites.com/
• http://web.archive.org/web/20151026062155/http://www.surfrider.org:80/jims-blog/entry/a-better-board-non-toxic-glassing

External links[edit | edit source]

• http://web.archive.org/web/20180319054240/http://sustainabilitybythesea.org/
• http://web.archive.org/web/20161026102300/http://sustainablesurfcoalition.org/
• http://sustainablesurf.org/
• http://www.surfscience.com/
• http://www.surfrider.org/
• http://www.oceangreen.org
• http://www.firewiresurfboards.com
• http://web.archive.org/web/20150525155734/http://www.decarbonated-sports.com/
• http://www.epa.gov
• http://www.osha.gov
• http://web.archive.org/web/20140224235734/http://www.libtechwaterboarding.com/
• http://web.archive.org/web/20161026102300/http://sustainablesurfcoalition.org//wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Surfboard-Cradle-to-Grave-Technical-Report-June-2009-by-Tobias-Schultz.pdf
• http://www.surfscience.com/topics/surfing-lifestyle/life-as-a-surfer/environmental-impact-of-surfing-surfboards/

References[edit | edit source]