A teen environmental group in California just proved that a weekend of collecting old sports balls can turn into a Guinness World Record. Another Bounce gathered about 22,000 used pickleballs and tennis balls, totaling 2,675 pounds, during an event over the weekend of September 19. The effort ran under the nonprofit Habits of Waste, with donors scoring free ice cream and new pickleballs from Selkirk just for dropping off their old gear.
The record is fun, but the reason behind it is the real story. Numbers shared by experts show that only 1 to 5 percent of tennis and padel balls sold in the US avoid landfills or incinerators, and most of them take over 400 years to decompose. With roughly 500 million racquet sport balls sold nationwide each year, that adds up fast. Another Bounce sent everything they collected to recycling partner Ridwell, which transforms the old balls into new balls along with products like plant pots and carpeting.
Local officials in LA and Malibu are already paying attention, which means this teen-led model could spread to more cities. It’s a solid reminder that recycling solutions don’t always need to be complicated. Sometimes it’s a bin, a bunch of volunteers, and a very good incentive.
What’s the one item in your house that you’ve never known how to properly recycle? Let us know in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.