Have you ever pondered on a chairlift, “Can we recycle skis?” With the rise of eco-consciousness, the ski industry understandably faces mounting pressure to adopt sustainable practices. The good news is that, the young startup, ADN is improving skiing sustainability through technology. Find out how ADN are leading this green revolution below.
ADN are a pioneering company who’ve created new methods that enable production of recyclable skis, with the technology also applicable to snowboards. This article explores why recycling skis is difficult but crucial, and how ADN’s technological advancements are making a difference.
Environmental Impact of Skis and Snowboards
Skis and snowboards are made from a composite of materials, including plastic, metal, fiberglass, and wood. These materials are glued together with a thermosetting resin. Once polymerised, this resin can’t be melted or dissolved. This means the composite parts of a ski cannot be separated to be recycled. So they end up in landfill or are incinerated.
In France alone, more than 1,500 tons of skis are disposed of annually. Globally, millions of skis and snowboards are manufactured each year, and a significant portion of these eventually become waste and contribute to landfill and subsequent environmental pollution.
When you consider that the manufacturing process involves substantial energy consumption this waste is huge. Plus many of the materials in skis and snowboards could be reused, except they’re literally stuck together. But if we can recycle skis and snowboards it reduces waste and conserves resources to minimise the impact of the sport we love.
So can we recycle skis? No, not at the moment. But within the current production methods there is a change that can make all the difference. This is where skiing sustainability through technology comes in.
ADN: Skiing Sustainability Through Technology
Embracing sustainability in skiing means rethinking the entire lifecycle of skis. Everything from design and production to disposal and recycling needs consideration.
Innovative technologies play a crucial role in making this transition possible. ADN is at the forefront of this movement, leveraging advanced technology to create sustainable solutions.
Making Skis Recyclable
At the heart of ADN is the goal of making skis recyclable. That cannot be achieved using the current resins as the materials cannot be separated.
So they have adapted the ski core with a patented new structure and used a recyclable resin called Thermoset that is already in use in other industries. It retains the durability and performance characteristics necessary for skiing, but depolymerises on contact with acetic acid, which is similar to white vinegar but more corrosive.
At the end of the product life cycle skis can be taken to a recycling centre – there is a QR code on the skis to find out where. The resin is then dissolved in a mixture of water (70%) and acetic acid (30%) which allows the metal, wood, fibreglass, plastics and even the resin to separate.
The process recovers all materials (even the resin) in their entirety. They can then be given a second life: either in skis and snowboards or in another industry. Alternatively they can just enter the typical recycling channels associated with each material.
In collaboration with the National Centre of Scientific Research in France ADN is developing a new dismantling process. This avoids water consumption and accelerates the procedure.
The Broader Impact of ADN’s Innovations
The beauty is ski manufacturers can use their existing machines and processes. They just need to follow ADN’s specifications for the composition of the skis. ADN audits the manufacturer before granting a license to use technology, this ensures the final product meets ADN’s standards of a recyclable ski.
ADN’s pioneering efforts have set a new benchmark for the entire ski industry. They have proved that skis can be made sustainably and recycled efficiently. Now ADN is encouraging manufacturers to use their sustainable new approach and recyclers to adopt new machinery. Licenses and machinery should be available in 2025/26.
This needs to be an industry-wide shift towards sustainability. Which ultimately could significantly reduce the environmental footprint of skiing and snowboarding gear.
So ADN is actively educating consumers about the importance of sustainability. They are telling the world that there is an alternative – we can recycle skis. By empowering consumers with knowledge, ADN is driving demand for eco-friendly products and encouraging more sustainable choices. All while focusing on R&D to keep improving their technology.
Can We Recycle Skis?
If, while sharing a chairlift, one of your riding buddies asks, “Can we recycle skis?”. You now know the answer is a resounding “yes!” With ADN’s innovations, skiing sustainability through technology is possible and can also be applied to snowboards.
But as consumers we also have a role to play. Next time you are purchasing new kit for skiing holidays, choose skis that use the ADN technology that enables them to be recycled. Not only can you recycle them once they have come to the end of their life, but each purchase puts pressure on ski brands to adopt more sustainable practices.
Well hopefully that answers the question can we recycle skis? If you are interested in improving skiing sustainability you can take the train for a ski holidays, or visit a resort like Morzine with green initiatives.
