Is there a way to responsibly recycle dead rubbers?

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Hello guys,

I would like to know if table tennis rubbers are something we can recycle safely by deposing in recycling bins, or do they belong to landfill.

Even though I am just a regular citizen, I feel bad every time I have to put a rubber in the bin. If there is a way to recycle them responsibly, I would very much like to know.

Many thanks in advance :)

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I feel bad every time I have to put a rubber in the bin.

Eventually, that is where they will land.

Two out of many things you could do with them:

1. Give them to people who can´t afford new rubbers. What you consider dead may have enough life in it for them.
(I once had a team mate from Sierra Leone, one of the poorest countries in the world. He has since gone back and I send him rubbers from time to time. Stuff that we take off our rackets when we get new rubbers has helped them a big deal)
2. Approach some archers. A friend of mine gave his rubbers to them because it makes it way easier to pull the arrows out of the target. No joke.
 
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I never had to throw any used rubber away - the best way is to find someone who will use them - this is rather easy -they are lining to take them off my hands.
 
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* Create a returnboard,

that's an interesting idea :)

In my country there are 3 containers for recycling: general waste, food waste and paper/plastics/metals. So if there is somewhat similar system in your country and you put rubbers in paper/plastics/metals container, the rubbers won't end up in the landfill, but in a recycling plant and they will know there what to do..
 
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that's an interesting idea :)

In my country there are 3 containers for recycling: general waste, food waste and paper/plastics/metals. So if there is somewhat similar system in your country and you put rubbers in paper/plastics/metals container, the rubbers won't end up in the landfill, but in a recycling plant and they will know there what to do..

That's so good to hear. So as long you put then in "plastic" they will find a way to recycle? I thought we could only put certain kind of plastic in the "recycle" bin/category
 
That's so good to hear. So as long you put then in "plastic" they will find a way to recycle? I thought we could only put certain kind of plastic in the "recycle" bin/category

"Plastics" is a general category, and its the same with what we call "rubbers".
Unfortunately allround the world you would not find a single place where ALL kind of materials could be recicled, even if if the trash containers are marked accordingly with the appropriate names. Its a matter of regulations, corruption and BIG money. Allround the world. And thats for shure. Somewhere more, somewhere less, but everywhere.

for me the best way to "recycle" the old TT rubbers is to use them for production of TT return boards, or some kind of "patchwork" in kindergardens and schools.
 
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I am thinking to use something like Falco Life Expender to just give rubbers longer lives...:(
not playing competitions anyway..

I find it hard to apply on sponge, since its not always possible to remove old glue. Sometimes they break off damaging the sponge, leaving holes. other times the glue is simply too thin or too tightly attached, making it hard to peel off.

I have tried apply the life extender on the old glue directly, and wait for it to penetrate. Does anyone have experience with this? and does it work ? I only just want to give it enough to "restore", don't like a overly boosted/soft rubber anyway.
 
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one of my teammates - who's better than me - plays with my old rubbers !

I sell them for about 10% of my purchase price after playing for 3months. Its a good deal for both of us !
but if/when i couldn't sell him i'd give them away to a friend coaching kids, or to a NGO sending them to poor countries.
 
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one of my teammates - who's better than me - plays with my old rubbers !

I sell them for about 10% of my purchase price after playing for 3months. Its a good deal for both of us !
but if/when i couldn't sell him i'd give them away to a friend coaching kids, or to a NGO sending them to poor countries.

Similar story, but I gave mine away for free.

Would have Aurus or similar rubber, use it 300 hrs, (2-3 months of playing in Korean clubs) then give it for free to an English teacher dude in the club, then he would use it on his FH for 5-6 months... by that time, he had him another rubber, maybe put on BH too.

By the time he shytcanned the rubber, it prolly had 600 hrs on it.
 
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