DISC GOLF
Disc golf is Going Green
the technical and manufacturing details around
eco-friendly discs
As the world explores options for alternative energy “This result validates the prospect for economic
sources and US manufactures of plastic parts are production of PHA polymer in switchgrass, and
finding ways to operate more efficiently, going green demonstrates for the first time an important tool for
seems to be part of everyones equation. From finding enhancing switchgrass for value-added performance
ways to use scrap material in house, to lowering as a bioenergy crop,” Oliver Peoples, chief scientific
energy bills and developing products that are being officer, said in a statement.
manufactured with renewable resources, every little Last year, company executives said that they
bit helps. expected that their process for growing plastics
would be commercial by 2012.
“WHAT IS A RENEWABLE RESOURCE” YOU ASK AND
A number of bio-energy companies are looking at Plant based resins we feel we have created an Eco-
HOW DOES IT APPLY TO DISC GOLF?
bio-plastics production. Earlier this month, energy Friendly-Product that has reduced the demand for
Well here’s the current Wikipedia definition: crop company Ceres said that it intends to use genetic fossil fuels and with more efforts in this arena we will
A natural resource qualifies as a renewable resource if engineering to grow plastics directly in plants as well. eventually be able to reduce the cost of these discs
it is replenished by natural processes at a rate comparable While we feel compelled to do our part to “GO as well. I guess you can say one mans trash is another
or faster than its rate of consumption by humans or other GREEN” the thought of developing a permanent, 3rd mans treasure and at the same time we keep some of
users. Solar radiation, tides, winds and hydroelectricity polymer line for our golf discs is something we are this Scrap from heading to growing mounds of trash
are perpetual resources that are in no danger of being still evaluating. So far our Organic, (OG Wizards and at the local landfill!
used in excess of their long-term availability. The term OG Magics) have been well received and has sparked Our Organic putters seem to be a big hit so far and
also has the connotation of sustainability of the handling the curiosity of those that feel eco-friendly products we plan on continuing our research in this direction.
of waste products by the natural environment. are important. We have experimented with several different ratios
Some natural renewable resources such as geothermal We have always used a percentage of regrind, for existing molds and are even building new molds
power|geothermal, fresh water, timber, and biomass mainly a post industrial rubber, a TPV (thermo- specifically for these Organic blends. Your typical
must be carefully managed to avoid exceeding the plastic-rubber) with a trade name of Santoprene, commodity resin is not “DENSE” enough for a golf
environment’s capacity to replenish them. A life cycle in our Putters. This material comes from the discs to weigh 175 grams. A number of minerals can
assessment provides a systematic means of evaluating manufacturing of eather trips for commercial be used to add weight or add density to the polymer
renewability. windows and doors! Typically we use at least 30% in order get the weight up. Mined minerals such as
Gasoline, coal, natural gas, diesel, and other of this regrind material and sometimes we have been Talc, Mica, Calcium Carbonate and Barium have
commodities derived from fossil fuels are non-renewable. know to manufacture out of 100% regrind in “Special been used to date. These materials weigh anywhere
Unlike fossil fuels, a renewable resource can have a runs” like Eraser and Chalky! from 2.2 specific gravity to 4.3 are combined with
sustainable yield. Pre-consumer industrial scrap comes from polymers that are much lower in density ( .89-.1) by
Renewable resources may also mean commodities such manufactures of plastic products in the form of bad compounding them together to make a density of 1.1-
as wood, paper, and leather. parts and runners that are regrind into smaller sizes 1.4 specific gravity that is needed to get smaller mass
While we (Gateway Disc Sports) would like to for processing. This material is reintroduced into golf discs up to weight!
think that someday soon we will be able to reduce the market directly and through brokers and is more While it is nearly impossible to completely get
our need for fossil fuels and capitalize on energy from than a 10 Billion dollar industry. Most manufactures away from petroleum based products and these
wind, water and sun, today we are doing our part to cannot afford the attention needed to adjust mined minerals for matted golf discs, creating new
“GO GREEN” by experimenting with bio-plastics processing to incorporate more than a small larger geometries is one way to reduce the need to
made from Corn and other plans like switchgrass and percentage of regrind back into production. What have these minerals mined. I feel that developing
even sugar for some of our existing products. this means is that a lot of post industrial “scrap” new shapes with larger masses will allow us to make
At this point we have ran several prototype runs of is available for smaller companies like ours to a product completely out of plant based resins and
Wizards and Magics (our top 2 Putters) combining try and use. recycled rubber without having to add these minerals,
these plant based resins with post industrial/recycled Back when we first started making discs I was which seems like one more way to “GO GREEN”!
rubbers. told it was not a good idea to let the general public
Unfortunately this is not yet a cost savings way to know that we were using regrind as many people do
GREEN DISC GOLF COURSES?
manufacture but is something we feel will be part not understand exactly what this means and that it Yes even Disc golf courses can be Greener by using
of the future of plastics and eventually will be more could give people the impression our products were recycled materials for Kiosk’s, trash cans tee signs,
competitive in pricing as more and more polymer of less quality. benches and Rubber mats for tee off areas. All of
manufactures are getting involved with this type of If you are a disc golfer and have had a chance to get these products are being made from recycled post
production. your hands on our putters over the years, you would consumer waste like tires and plastic bottles. This
I just read where a company is trying to develop ways know that this couldn’t be the farthest thing from is about one of the best ways to go green as you
to grow plastic in plants?? Is that really possible?? the truth. Since we use High end TPV for our putters are directly reintroducing a product that was surely
Here’s what one company says: its easy to tell within seconds of having our discs in headed for the landfill. Today’s landfills are growing
Switchgrass is a perennial native grass that grows your hands that our putters are made of more quality at an enormous rate and using recycled products for
quickly. Researchers and several companies are plastic than the traditional polymers used in the past disc golf courses makes the game of disc golf and
developing methods for converting the plant biomass by our competitors. your local park of the solution, a solution for solving
into ethanol. By combining these recycled rubbers and the just one of the many problems we face as a planet!
28 Ultimate Canada Magazine — www.canadianultimate.com
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