Wetsuits recycled in surfing paradise

A project to recover discarded wetsuits in one of Europe’s top surfing regions could be rolled out nationally.

A UK charity, the Wave Project, and waste management company Suez have launched a pioneering Wetsuit Reuse Scheme to tackle an estimated 380 tonnes of non-recyclable neoprene generated each year in the UK. More than half of this waste originates in Cornwall in the southwest of the country.

The project has received £116 000 (EUR 137 000) from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Good Growth Programme, a £137 million local investment fund managed by Cornwall Council and funded by the UK Government.

Repair workshop

Dedicated wetsuit recycling bins have been placed at Cornwall Council household waste recycling centres, which are managed by Suez. The discarded suits are collected and sent to a new repair workshop in the county. Repaired wetsuits can then be resold at the charity’s high street store.

Prices range from £20 to £60, a fraction of the typical £420 cost for a new outfit. Those beyond repair will be upcycled into new products such as bags, pillows and mats.

Helping children

Profits will support the charity’s programmes which include surf therapy for children, a form of therapeutic support for their mental and physical health. Efforts help aroun 2 500 kids every year.

Ramon Van de Velde, ceo at the Wave Project, says: ‘This pre-loved wetsuit scheme not only raises vital funds to enable the charity to help more children, it also makes the sea more accessible to people who can’t otherwise afford wetsuits. If the Cornwall pilot proves successful, we hope to roll it out nationwide.’