Youth activists urge Santa Monica to require tennis and pickleball ball recycling

A group of teenagers told Santa Monica’s City Council during general public comment that the city should lead a nationwide effort to require collection and recycling of tennis and pickleball balls at parks and private clubs.

Fifteen‑ and sixteen‑year‑old members of ‘Another Bounce’ — who said they have been collecting balls locally — urged council members to place a recycling ordinance on a near‑term agenda. Speakers cited national participation figures and estimates of discarded balls to argue the waste stream is avoidable and that Santa Monica could set a precedent.

Why it matters: Ball cores and felt coverings can persist in landfills for centuries, the students said. They pointed to local examples — the Jonathan Club’s existing program — and asked the city to adopt a requirement that parks and clubs provide collection and partner with recyclers to turn end‑of‑life balls into playground surface material, athletic underlayment and other products.

Council response and next steps: Council expressed appreciation and directed staff to accept a formal agenda request. A number of community members and a waste‑reduction advocate (Sheila Moravati of Habits of Waste) also offered support and noted a Guinness World Record attempt planned in Santa Monica on Sept. 19 to showcase logistics and community interest.

Provenance: Public comment segments recorded in the meeting transcript summarized the students’ statements and the request for an ordinance; staff did not present an ordinance at the meeting, so any legislative action would require a future agenda item and formal staff report.