ORLANDO, Fla. – Where do pickleballs go when they die? A rabid fan of the growing sport might say heaven, but more than likely, they end up in your local landfill.
It’s not uncommon for pickleballs to crack during play, especially after a skillful smash from an opponent or a teammate. That damaged ball gets tossed in the closest trash can, never to be used again. You might be thinking — pickleballs are plastic, why can’t I just recycle them?
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“The mass produced pickleballs that we all play with are made from thermoplastic molded resin, which is a type of plastic not compatible with standard recycling facilities,” said Orlando Advanced Pickleball (OAP) founder, Dave John. “Simply put, putting them in your weekly home recycling won’t result in them being processed for reuse.”
John says OAP pioneered pickleball recycling in Florida. The organization has placed special pickleball recycling bins in several popular playing locations, including Orlando Racket Sports, Clear One Sports Center, Veterans Memorial park in Winter Garden and Cady Way Park in Winter Park. Players simply drop their damaged or worn out pickleballs into the bins. The balls are then collected and converted to functioning zip-ties. To date, OAP has recycled more than 125 pounds of pickleballs and counting.
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“We’re committed to ensuring pickleballs don’t end up in landfills, both for the sake of environmental responsibility and for the legacy we leave for future generations of pickleball enthusiasts,” John said.
The organization is in the process of expanding its recycling effort to other courts in Clermont, Sanford and Leesburg. In the meantime, leaders are encouraging players to take their damaged pickleballs to courts that already have the special recycling bins.
Orlando Advanced Pickleball says it is the largest group of pickleball enthusiasts in Florida, with over 3,300 members. Learn more about the organization here.
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