The effort culminated at Santa Monica's Reed Park following months of preparation that began in February 2026 with collection bins distributed to area schools and athletic clubs. Tennis balls pose persistent environmental challenges due to their synthetic felt and rubber cores, contributing to an estimated 125 million balls discarded across the United States annually. Alongside processing over 1,200 kilograms of collected gear, the organizers engaged municipal officials in several cities to implement broader structural solutions. Malibu has already advanced these discussions by inviting the students to submit a formal ordinance addressing sports-ball disposal.
Key points
The youth-led campaign successfully established a new Guinness World Record by gathering…: The youth-led campaign successfully established a new Guinness World Record by gathering 22,000 sports balls within a single day.
Dedicated collection bins placed across Los Angeles-area schools and sports clubs provide…: Dedicated collection bins placed across Los Angeles-area schools and sports clubs provided the logistical foundation for the event.
Malibu city officials advanced the campaign's policy goals by inviting the teenagers to s…: Malibu city officials advanced the campaign's policy goals by inviting the teenagers to submit a draft sports waste ordinance.
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Thirteen teenagers in California have collected 22,000 discarded tennis balls and pickleballs in just 24 hours, setting a Guinness World Record while drawing attention to the growing problem of sports equipment waste. The record-breaking collection took place at Reed Park in Santa Monica on September 19, 2026, as part of a youth-led environmental initiative called Another Bounce. The students gathered approximately 1,213 kg (2,674 lb) of used sports balls, which were sent for specialist recycling rather than being disposed of in landfills. What began as a student-led effort to address waste at local sports facilities has developed into a wider campaign involving schools, sports clubs, community members and local authorities.
Another Bounce: How a student project to collect discarded tennis and pickleballs became a world record
The initiative, called Another Bounce, operates under the umbrella of Habits of Waste, a US-based environmental nonprofit. It was developed by student-athletes who noticed how frequently tennis balls and pickleballs were discarded after losing their bounce or becoming damaged.
The students began collecting used sports balls in February 2026, placing dedicated collection bins at…
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