SUEZ, Cornwall Council and The Wave Project launch trial collecting used and damaged wetsuits and neoprene items to be repaired and resold.
SUEZ has installed bins at Newquay household waste and recycling centres (HWRCs) for people to deposit their wetsuits and neoprene items. The items will then be cleaned and repaired before being sold at “affordable prices” at Cornwall-based social enterprise The Wave Project’s shop on Newquay High Street.
SUEZ says that if the trial is successful it will be expanded across Cornwall’s recycling centres. The waste management company estimates that on average 380 tonnes of wetsuits are thrown away and end up in energy recovery or landfill in the UK each year.
Chris Lynn, General Manager for SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK in Cornwall, commented: “Through this collaboration, we are not only helping to reduce waste, but we are also supporting Cornwall’s young people.
“At SUEZ, as part of our triple bottom line approach, we look for ways our services can enhance the environment and the communities we serve. We are thrilled to have seized the opportunity to work with The Wave Project in their mission to transform lives through surf therapy.”
We would encourage local surfers to make use of the wetsuit donation bins at the St Erth and Newquay recycling centres.
The Wave Project offers surf clubs and therapy sessions to children. Surf therapy is now recognised by the NHS and is used by the Police and Blue Light services as therapy for their serving officers and professionals.
Joe Taylor, Founder & CEO of The Wave Project, said: “We would encourage local surfers to make use of the wetsuit donation bins at the St Erth and Newquay recycling centres so we can enable them to be used again by others, reducing tonnes of waste in the process.
“By working together, we can all make a big difference for our communities, reduce our carbon footprint, and bring the joy of surfing to more people.”