Entropy’s Bio Epoxy Resins do not use Styrene.
The Federal government designates Styrene as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.”
Here is another worthy New York Times article to understand what this means.
GEEK OUT DETAIL.
- Polyester resins generally contain between 30% and 50% styrene by weight (EPA 1997)
- The New York Times piece above states “Styrene is mostly a concern for workers who build boats, car parts, bathtubs and shower stalls. Studies of workers exposed to high levels of styrene have found increased risks of leukemia and lymphoma and genetic damage to white blood cells. There is also some evidence that styrene increases the risks of cancer of the pancreas and esophagus among styrene workers, the report found.”
Let’s remember… this blog series is oriented around finding a better board, one that last longer and perfoms as well or better than alternatives. It’s also about finding the combination with the smallest impact. Above I noted our opportunity to a least take a small beginning step to help decrease the damage we’re doing to our oceans.
The above paragraph speaks to the personal health and safety of surfboard industry workers who have to use these materials, and the eventual release of these toxins into our shared environment from the production process. Not to mention when a surfboard ultimately ends up in a landfill, where these toxins can leach into our soil, water and air.
My personal journey…
As I mentioned in the first post, I was really taken with the idea of getting a surfboard made from… trash.
In the first and second post I talked about getting a Marko blank made from recycled EPS foam and having Timmy Patterson shape me a board from the recycled EPS blank.
The next step was glassing and I wanted to try out Entropy’s ‘Super Sap’ Resin.
I picked E-Tech Glassing, E-Tech Boards who are in LA because Kevin Whilden from Sustainable Surf shared they were among the best out there and most committed to help transform surfboard construction. They seemed like the perfect fit for this project and they turned out to be exactly that.
I met with Todd Patterson and Ryan Harris at their facility near LAX and from the second I walked in the door I could tell something wild was happening. Wild in a good way. The Mini-Simmons SUP inside the door was my first clue that these guys were willing to try anything and work with surfers who really wanted to push the boundaries. Race paddleboards were stacked against the walls, little handplanes made from foam scraps… this team was working on every angle of the sport I could think of.
I also noticed it didn’t smell like… pretty much every other glassing shop I’ve been to. We usually smell styrene when we’re around glassing bays… it’s a carcinogen. I didn’t smell that that there at all.
Think about that point and let it sink in… this isn’t about just a process that has the lowest impact on the environment but we’re also talking about real people’s health.
The E-Tech Glassing, E-Tech Boards crew were awesome at every single stage. They were perhaps something beyond awesome… they not only helped “fill my order” but they invested in me… they educated me on the value of their choices such as embracing Entropy Epoxy Bio-Resin and smaller details such as the value of putting a bamboo veneer on the deck (extends life, adds durability, fewer pressure dings)…
If you’re in the Southern California region I definitely recommend Greenhouse Glassing, their site is here and below is a video of their process. You can email Ryan and Todd there at ryan.etechboards@gmail.com and todd.etechboards@gmail.com respectively.
I had them set my Pill up with a five box set-up (with the center box able to take a singlefin). I’m aware the “five box” set-up can seem a bit over the top (I’m not exactly Kelly Slater). I see the five box option as a way to get more use from this board. I was looking for a board that was durable, I could take out locally and also take on trips. I don’t know how many fin combinations this set-up equates to but I can tell you I’ve ridden it with a single Greenough flex-fin, as a quad and with some MR twin fins I had.
Extra thanks to Todd who literally drove to LAX and met me in the lot of a Taco Bell to deliver this board as I was about to hop on a plane to El Salvador. That picture of me at the end of the video was just before midnight… and twelve hours later that board was in the water.
Also big thanks to all the others that made this process possible; Kevin Whilden and Michael Stewart who are helping transform the industry over at Sustainable Surf. Thanks Clay at Marko Foam and to Timmy Patterson for shaping a board that I love.
