Tennis Ball Waste in Collegiate Athletics: Recycling and Repurposing Opportunities
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
In Person or Zoom Presentation
In-Person
Campus
Daytona Beach
Status
Student
Student Year and Major
2027 Aerospace Engineering
Presentation Description/Abstract
The purpose of this research is to analyze the number of tennis balls used by the ERAU men’s and women’s tennis teams annually and investigate ways they can be recycled, repurposed, or turned into higher-value products. Tennis balls usually end up in landfills and can take approximately 400 years to decompose naturally. Around 125 million tennis balls are discarded in the United States each year, representing approximately 7,090 metric tons of tennis-ball waste. This study collects data from ERAU’s tennis coaches to determine annual tennis ball use and current disposal practices. These numbers can also be used to estimate waste from other tennis teams and clubs at the state or national level. Based on initial estimates provided by ERAU’s tennis coaches, the teams use approximately 60 cases annually, with 72 balls per case, totaling 4,320 balls. The teams currently donate used balls to schools for chairs and arts and crafts, as well as to animal shelters. This literature review compares existing recycling and repurposing methods based on cost, environmental impact, and practicality, including applications such as tennis court surfaces, equestrian footing, and other recycled materials. Based on the preliminary feasibility analysis, establishing a student-led BallBack chapter at ERAU appears to be the most practical solution, as the nonprofit provides a recycling pathway through RecycleBalls and covers shipping costs, potentially allowing ERAU to participate at no direct cost. This program could recover up to 4,320 tennis balls (approximately 245 kg) annually, depending on collection rates and existing donations. The goal is to identify a practical way to reduce our campus waste footprint while expanding recycling opportunities to local schools, tennis clubs, and potentially other collegiate athletic programs.
Keywords
Recycling, Repurposing, Waste management, Sports Sustainability, Collegiate athletics
Tennis Ball Waste in Collegiate Athletics: Recycling and Repurposing Opportunities
The purpose of this research is to analyze the number of tennis balls used by the ERAU men’s and women’s tennis teams annually and investigate ways they can be recycled, repurposed, or turned into higher-value products. Tennis balls usually end up in landfills and can take approximately 400 years to decompose naturally. Around 125 million tennis balls are discarded in the United States each year, representing approximately 7,090 metric tons of tennis-ball waste. This study collects data from ERAU’s tennis coaches to determine annual tennis ball use and current disposal practices. These numbers can also be used to estimate waste from other tennis teams and clubs at the state or national level. Based on initial estimates provided by ERAU’s tennis coaches, the teams use approximately 60 cases annually, with 72 balls per case, totaling 4,320 balls. The teams currently donate used balls to schools for chairs and arts and crafts, as well as to animal shelters. This literature review compares existing recycling and repurposing methods based on cost, environmental impact, and practicality, including applications such as tennis court surfaces, equestrian footing, and other recycled materials. Based on the preliminary feasibility analysis, establishing a student-led BallBack chapter at ERAU appears to be the most practical solution, as the nonprofit provides a recycling pathway through RecycleBalls and covers shipping costs, potentially allowing ERAU to participate at no direct cost. This program could recover up to 4,320 tennis balls (approximately 245 kg) annually, depending on collection rates and existing donations. The goal is to identify a practical way to reduce our campus waste footprint while expanding recycling opportunities to local schools, tennis clubs, and potentially other collegiate athletic programs.