Adam surfs green wave with wetsuit upcycling
AN entrepreneur is hoping to help turn the tide on waste produced by surfing with a wetsuit upcycling initiative.
Adam Costello, 39, from Macclesfield, set up ethical clothing brand Inland Sea four years ago.
The keen surfer wanted to tackle the plastic pollution he would find when he took to the waves on his board.
His latest scheme, with fellow environmentally conscious firm Dirtbags Climbing, sees old wetsuits collected and upcycled rather than simply thrown away.
The items can be turned into products including yoga mats, phone cases and laptop covers.
Adam said: “The ultimate goal is to see wetsuit manufactures change the way suits are made to tackle the problem at the root, but right now we have tonnes of wetsuit going straight to landfill each year.
“While recycling isn’t an option, up-cycling wetsuits into useful products is something we can do and hope to see more businesses doing in the future.
“We want to draw the government’s attention to this problem and people’s eagerness to tackle the climate emergency.”
It is estimated that 380 tonnes of ‘wetsuit waste’ is created every year and ends up in landfills.
And wetsuits contain 15 different materials that cannot be separated, one of which is oil-based neoprene.
This means recycling is not possible and the suits are not biodegradable, emitting harmful chemicals as they break down.
After deciding to take action Adam contacted Dirtbags Climbing, based in Kendal, Cumbria, as it has expertise in the reuse of textile and plastic waste.
The result is a nationwide campaign called Drop In, where unwanted wetsuits can be handed over or posted to Adam, who can often be seen at the Treacle market - when regulations allow it.
He said: “During lockdown while our pools have been closed we’ve seen a huge rise in people swimming outdoors, in our oceans, rivers and lakes which is fantastic.
“However, this has meant an increase in the demand for wetsuits, nearly five million are sold every year. Our goal is to reuse as many wetsuits as possible to keep them out of landfill sites.”
The scheme will run throughout summer with drop-off points listed at www.inlandsea. co.uk.
Alternatively wetsuits can be posted to Inland Sea, Floor 2, the Old Sunday School, Roe Street, Macclesfield, SK11 2UT.