Business news : Recycling ski gear is a growing trend

Program Overview and History
The Snow Sports Industry has placed itself on the forefront of corporate responsibility with the creation of the “Snow Sports Recycling Program” (SSRP). For the past three seasons, SnowSports Industries America (SIA) has conducted a pilot program, which has successfully prevented several tons of equipment from ending up in local landfills.

SSRP began in Denver, Colorado, collecting from five storefronts. The program has thrived and accumulated over 300 tons of equipment. SSRP’s continued growth will lead to a reduction in environmental impact, conservation of natural resources and the initiation of sustainable design. Now we’re ready to expand into the Rocky Mountain region, and we want you to join us.

How Does the Program Work?

1. Consumers bring their old equipment to participating retail locations.
2. Retailers drop equipment at SSRP collection sites.
3. Equipment is taken to our processing facility in Loveland Colorado and handled by our strategic partners at Earth Enterprises/ dba Waste-Not Recycling (processing equipment purchased through a grant from the State of Colorado).
4. Equipment goes through a six-step process that separates and reduces skis (bindings and all), snowboards, ski boots, snowboard boots and helmets.
5. Processed material is turned into grinds that can be repurposed.

How are the Grinds Repurposed?
Lots of ways.

• Composite lumber, which can be used to make decking, furniture, store and tradeshow fixtures., etc.
• Multiple applications in the landscaping industry, such as stackable blocks, cultured rock, etc.
• **And our ultimate goal is to repurpose back into new equipment as post consumer snow sports content, creating a sustainable design model for future products.

How Can You Get Involved?

To participate, retailers and resorts need to implement an opt-out fee of $1.00 on all new ski, snowboard and boot purchases along with charging a $.79 opt-out fee on all ticketed rental transactions.
With the opt-out rental program retailers and resorts qualify their retired rentals to be recycled and fully written-off.  The retired rental equipment at the end of three (3) year lifecycle can be donated to the SIA foundation and retailer or resorts will be able to take a charitable deduction.
The recovered donated rental equipment will be processed and recycled in our Loveland facility along with other recovered equipment or passed on to charitable organizations for further use.
This option gives retailers and resorts an alternative to trying to sell retired equipment, eliminates worn-out equipment from rental pools and augments “Green” initiatives that many retailers and resorts have already established.
All fees will be forwarded and collected by SIA monthly. Participating retailers and resorts will need to arrange for delivery of recovered/discarded equipment to SIA designated affiliate collection centers in their local area.

How Can You Drive Consumer Participation?

• Press release and PSA materials developed by SIA will be available.
• SIA will promote SSRP through a variety of digital media, including: skier & boarder consumer sites, on industry related sites, state winter sport promo sites, club sites, snowlink.com and more.

How Does Participation Help My Business?

• Retailers/Resorts will be identified and recognized as a certified member in Snow Sports Recycling Program.
• SSRP gives your business a great marketing and PR opportunity.
• When consumers donate old equipment, it gives you the opportunity to up-sale into new equipment.
• Positioning yourself as a donation location can drive in-store traffic that your staff can convert to equipment and non-equipment sales. Research shows that when a person donates in the shop, 67% of these people will purchase something the day of the donation.

How Does Participation Help the Industry?

• Growth of SSRP will firmly place us on the forefront of corporate environmental responsibility.
• Reduction of outdated equipment in market place means consumers will have new equipment, which means a better experience on the mountain that can lead to higher participation rates.
• Positive economic impact for industry, retailers and resorts.
• Jobs created at state and local levels.

To sign up or receive additional information, please contact Greg Schneider at gschneider@snowsports.org

( Source SIA )