First-Ever High-Performance Recycled Polyurethane Surfboard Blanks Developed,
Pilot Program Will Repurpose Previously Unusable Surfboard and Wetsuit Waste
San Clemente, Calif. (Jan. 28, 2009) – Business partners and surf
industry veterans, Joey Santley and Steve Cox introduced two
first-of-their-kind revolutionary endeavors, Green Foam Blanks and
ReSurf Recycling, at the Action Sports Retailer (ASR) trade show in San
Diego, Calif. on Jan. 22 - 24. Both organizations, which received high
praise at ASR, are founded on the platform of creating a “greener”
method of manufacturing surfboards, disposing of hazardous surfboard
waste and ultimately leading to more environmentally sound urban
communities through the repurposing of previously unusable and somewhat
toxic waste.
With deep roots in the surf industry, both Santley and Cox recognized
southern California as an epicenter for surfboard manufacturers with
more than 1,000 surfboards being produced per day between Los Angeles
and the Mexico border. Additionally, nearly 20% of the foam needed to
shape each board is rendered as waste and inevitably ends up in
landfills. This unusable foam, partnered with other somewhat toxic
materials required to finish each surfboard, equaled an incalculable
amount of waste coming from the surf industry. These facts, coupled
with the belief that most surfers would be willing to do their part to
help cleanse the industry due to their natural relationship with the
ocean and nature, led to the launch of ReSurf Recycling in late 2007 as
a philanthropic endeavor.
Founded with a mission to clean up the industry, ReSurf Recycling
offers the first-ever cohesive plan to recycle all surfboards and the
waste associated with their manufacturing, along with neoprene wetsuit
scraps from the cutting room floor. Urging both surfers and board
manufacturers to recycle old boards and manufacturing waste, ReSurf
Recycling has developed a method that recycles somewhat hazardous
surfing-associated materials into numerous products including asphalt
for paving city roads. Additionally, the organization has invented a
method of producing 100% recycled yoga mats made using neoprene scraps
generated from wetsuit production and has recently finalized deals with
wetsuit manufacturing giants, O’Neill and Quiksilver to recycle all of
its domestic unused materials. Most importantly, both recycling
methods relieve waste haulers and landfill compliance management
companies from the necessity of filling landfills with surfing’s
potentially hazardous products.
“As co-founder of Green Foam Blanks and ReSurf Recycling, I’m thrilled
the nation has recently sworn in the first surfing president, Barack
Obama,” stated Santley. “We believe our efforts can directly
contribute to the country’s environmental agenda.” Co-partner Steve
Cox added, “ReSurf Recycling has literally invented a system of
transforming discarded surfboards and previously unusable waste into
asphalt and concrete that can be used to pave city roads as part of our
nation’s road to recovery. It’s our goal to have
surfers driving to the beach on roads paved with their old boards and
to recycle the estimated 250 tons of neoprene waste that is created
from wetsuit scraps each year!”
With surfer, community and environmental industry support for ReSurf
Recycling even stronger than originally imagined in the first months of
operation, Santley and Cox set out to take their surfboard recycling
efforts to the next level and put to rest a 50-year-old notion that
toxic surfboard manufacturing waste and broken and used board
components could not be recycled to create new boards. Using a
proprietary, patent-pending cryogenic methodology and working
hand-in-hand with Sid Schneider and Scott Saunders from Oceanside,
Calif.-based foam manufacturer Just Foam, Green Foam Blanks silenced
the naysayers and created the world’s first recycled surfboard blank.
Matt “Mayhem” Biolos of ...Lost Surfboards was given the opportunity
to shape the first surfboard using a recycled blank, which is now on
display at the Surfing Heritage Museum in San Clemente, Calif. After
being tested by both top surfers and shapers, Green Foam Blanks have
been deemed equal in durability, lightness and function as current
high-performance surfboards made with traditional polyurethane foam.
Following the lead of Biolos, top surfboard manufacturers such as
Channel Islands, Rusty, Doc, Timmy Patterson and Pat Rawson have all
shaped recycled blanks from the company’s first batch and proudly
displayed their collective work for the entire industry to view at the
Green Foam Blanks booth during ASR.
“When I first saw the recycled blanks, they reminded me of when
recycled paper first came out, it was a bit rough, but got the job done
all while saving resources and lessening waste. The same can be said
for the recycled PU blanks,” said Biolos. “The blanks are a tad coarse
with some imperfections and take a bit of savvy to finish sanding them,
yet for the most part the strength to weight ratio is on target. The
specks of stringer and colored glue dust adds character and defines
their look. Starting immediately, we will offer Green Foam Blanks to
anyone who wishes to get a board made.”
For more information on Green Foam Blanks visit www.GreenFoamBlanks.blogspot.com or www.ReSurf.org for more information of ReSurf Recycling.
About Green Foam Blanks
Using a proprietary, patent-pending cryogenic methodology, Green Foam
Surf Blanks successfully created the world’s first-ever recycled
polyurethane foam surfboard blank in November 2008, a feat widely
considered impossible throughout the surf industry. Producing
eco-friendly foam blanks that are as durable and high performance as
all modern day shapes and materials, Green Foam Blanks has already
provided blanks to some of the industry’s top surfboard manufactures,
including Matt Biolos, Channel Islands, Rusty, Doc, Timmy Patterson and
Pat Rawson. Green Foam Blanks are manufactured at Just Foam in
Oceanside, Calif.
About ReSurf Recycling
Established in 2007 as a philanthropic endeavor with a mission to clean
up the industry, ReSurf Recycling is a first-of-its-kind systematic
solution to clean surf industry waste. ReSurf Recycling offers both
surfers and shapers convenient methods to recycle their old boards,
wetsuits and manufacturing waste. Highlighting its unique recycling
methods, ReSurf Recycling invented a unique process of recycling used
surfboards into asphalt suitable for paving city roads, as well as
recycling neoprene from used wet suits into yoga mats. ReSurf is
endorsed by leading surf and environmental organizations, including
SIMA, the Surfrider Foundation and Montec, inc (civil engineering).
About Just Foam
Founded in Oceanside, Calif. by Scott Saunders in 2004, Just Foam
manufactures top quality polyurethane surfboard blanks. Beyond
supplying top surfboard shapers with durable foam blanks, Just Foam was
originally created as a vehicle to support community rehabilitation
centers by employing individuals from these organizations and training
them with a goal to move them into mainstream employment within the
community. Just Foam teamed up with Green Foam Blanks in 2008 to help
produce the first-ever recycled polyurethane surf blank and is the
exclusive manufacturer for all Green Foam Blanks. Just Foam’s supplies
have been approved by the local Fire Authority and are authorized for
use in the manufacturing industry by the state of California. Just
Foam does not manufactu
