A lot of people don’t think about the little things that end up in our ecosystems when lost or discarded improperly. However, little things like microplastics are some of the worst offenders when it comes to the problem of garbage ending up in our parks, forests, oceans, and waterways. An often overlooked item that is a big problem is the golf ball. Most golfers treat golf balls as disposable products, something they play with until they lose them and then pick up another package. Other times golfers like to purposely launch golf balls into places that make them impossible to recover, like the ocean or a lake.
What are the environmental impacts of golf balls?
It turns out that this humble little ball has a large environmental impact. A modern golf ball is made from all sorts of exotic polymers and chemicals (zinc oxide, zinc acrylate, and benzoyl peroxide to name a few) that provide it with exceptional performance qualities at low prices. However, these chemicals can find their way into the ecosystem and are environmentally hazardous. They are harmful to marine life and leech into the water supply. When a golf ball is lost in the environment it takes a few hundred years to fully decompose. As it does it sheds heavy metals, toxic chemicals and microplastics. These materials are harmful to the ecosystem.
Does anyone know how many golf balls are lost every year?
Such a count would be pretty hard to get exactly right however some have been trying. Well over a decade ago the Danish Golf Union estimated there were 300 million golf balls lost, in the USA alone! They called the problem “humanity’s signature litter”. More recently a teen from California found 100 000 golf balls lost in the pebble beach area alone in one summer.
What is being done about it?
Most places other than golf courses have put in place regulations to stop golf ball litter. Cruise lines are forbidden by international maritime law from allowing passengers to litter plastics which includes not allowing passengers to hit balls off the deck. Parks have put in place fines for golfing and are on the lookout. Cities are attempting to stop private boats and property owners from hitting golf balls into the water. However, as human nature goes it can be impossible to prevent people from doing as they please. Sometimes it can even be impossible to always collect every golf ball that ever gets lost despite one’s best intentions of trying to do so.
Can we build an eco-friendly golf ball?
Often it is better to develop a solution to a problem right at the source and one company is doing that by giving people a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative. As the name suggests, Biodegradable Golf Balls are 100% biodegradable and dissolve cleanly when submerged in water. These balls are made from corn starch and Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA). PVA is a very common, safe, non-toxic material used in medical and food applications. These balls look and feel like normal golf balls except when they are submerged in water they fully break down! Instead of hundreds of years, they only take a few weeks of outdoor exposure to decompose. They leave behind nothing (except a few smiles!) after they break down.
Check out one in action!
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0lOqKkuBfBU
Collective small actions always make a big difference.
The growing problem of garbage accumulation around the world is caused by millions of small decisions made every day. The solution is about the same, taking the time to reduce any amount of waste will always make a difference. Whether it’s a biodegradable golf ball or a bamboo toothbrush we can all make a big difference in the little things we do every day.
Sources:
https://cen.acs.org/articles/95/web/2017/06/s-inside-golf-balls-chemistry.html
https://www.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/11/04/littering.golf.balls/
https://www.imo.org/en/OurWork/Environment/Pages/Garbage-Default.aspx
Photo by Mufid Majnun on Unsplash.
