Skateboarding

The President of Boarderland is you

The Greener Way To Make Surfboards

Surfing is the most natural of sports possible. The crashing waves, the fresh sea air and the reliance on mother nature for good surf, all suggest that this is the most wholesome of extreme sports. It has come to the attention of many environmentalists however that all is not what it seems. In actual fact, the production of surfboards has many negative effects on both the environment and peoples health.

Many of the surfboards you find now are formed from a core of polyurethane foam. A couple of layers of fibre glass then cover this and finally a polyester resin is added as a protector. The foam often contains a chemical called toluene diisocyanate, which is known to be a possible carcinogenic substance. The styrene gas that is also produced during manufacture has been criticised by health professionals due to its harmful effect on the nervous system and its ability to cause nausea, tiredness and disorientation. Additionally, carbon dioxide and VOCs (volatile organic components) are released into the atmosphere during production. Most of the elements that go into modern surfboards are also non-biodegradable.

So much pressure has been put on surfboard manufacturers that one producer of ‘blank’ decks in California, Gordon Clark, has now closed his factory. Clark’s production company was responsible for manufacturing around 85% of all blanks but after being hounded by the State of California, he decided to shut the business down. The knock on effect of this is that there is a large shortfall in blank surfboards in America and most effected companies have begun their hunt for alternative sources.

Incredibly, one of these alternatives has been found in England, in the county of Cornwall. The new substance Biofoam was developed with help from the Surfers Against Sewage charity. It uses 45% plant-based materials, making it 60% more renewable and emitting around 30% less harmful chemicals during its manufacture. A ninety percent natural protective resin has also recently started being utilised for their new ‘Ecoboards’.

The interest in Ecoboards and the new Biofoam is truly global, with many big companies expressing an interest. It is still early days but they soon hope to start applying their eco-technology to the creation of snowboards also.

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