Don't let Tennis Balls be another landfill waste

When you type “production of tennis balls” on YouTube, the search results will make you more curious. The results would show videos of Indian manufacturing companies, and workers doing the handy work & making hundreds-thousands of these iconic green tennis balls. We all have grown up playing with these tennis balls.

In first glance, these are generic videos with significant nostalgic value. You'd see people commenting on their opinion, and sharing their 'valuable' business expansion tips.

Although, with some conscious viewing, the reality becomes stark. As you can see the realities of what these balls are made of. In addition, what these factory workers are going through every day to produce these balls.

'400 years to decompose'

Around 325 million tennis balls are produced in the world every year, for numerous reasons. Primarily, they are used in sports like Cricket and Lawn Tennis. In the coaching of the aforementioned sports, several yellow tennis balls are utilized. They are also used as part of recreational activities, and non-professional sports engagements also.

Read more here: Tennis Balls

With regards to sports, the balls have to be very particular with suitable aerodynamics. Once, the balls don't serve the purpose, they are thrown away. After every Grand Slam Tennis tournament, 2,30,000 balls are wasted. Mostly, they end up in landfills. Importantly, it takes 400 years for just one tennis ball to decompose. The tennis balls are made of pressurized rubber, and high-quality cloth mostly wool mixed with nylon.

The tennis balls are just another waste product in the ever-growing landfills.

The landfills are already big enough especially in developing countries such as India.

It is not just the tennis balls but also the packaging tube which is the problem.

Once, the calls are being used the packaging tube is a waste, hence is thrown away.

More often than not, they end up in landfill, as less than 10% of plastic is recycled.

Read more here: Recycling of Tennis Ball

Working conditions

The workers in the small factories also face extreme consequences by working in hazardous environments. These workers are constantly exposed to harmful chemicals and subjecting them to high heat and pressure to produce these products. As a result, the work environment may be contaminated with dust, gasses, vapors, fumes, and chemical by-products (e.g., Nitrosamines).

Workers may be exposed to these hazards through inhalation and skin absorption during rubber processing and product manufacturing. Physical hazards such as noise, repetitive motion, and lifting may also be present.

According to a report published in the National Medical Journal of India workers employed in rubber and plastic industries face health hazards like high blood and urinary lead, decreased hemoglobin levels, raised liver enzymes, reduced lung volume, and flow rates, reduced ferric-reducing ability of plasma, and so on.

These are only a few of the many reported hazards that a person working in a rubber factory can face. 

Read more here: Occupational health profile of workers employed in the manufacturing sector of India

Conclusion

Alternatives and solutions to this problem are not many and are still being researched.

However, as rubber is the green gold of the environment, it can be recycled and reused however many times.

They can be made into new balls again, for dogs and other uses. Or, can be made into something new and useful for example into a sports turf in a government school for students to enjoy a new sport like tennis.

Richard Moss, CEO of the design studio Rogue Projects, experimented with the waste from tennis tournaments and created a speaker.

Yes, a portable speaker from the tennis. With just one touch, you can connect and listen to music.

This is one of the many creative solutions.

The tennis balls can't be recycled into making tennis balls, but other options are equipped to ensure they don't end up in landfills.

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