The life of
a Soccer Ball
Have you ever wondered how soccer balls
are made and what happens to them
when you're finished playing with them? As
with any product, making a soccer ball uses
natural resources and energy, which can
impact the air, land, and water. Follow the
life of a soccer ball to learn more about how
it is made and how you can help reduce its
environmental impacts.
1
Gathering and Processing
Materials
Soccer balls are made both natural and
man-made materials, including:
Plastic, from petroleum
Rubber, from plants or synthetic
Cotton, from plants
Animal products, including leather
These materials must be
processed in factories
before they're made
into a ball.
Cover: Leather or Plastic
lining:
Plastic or Cotton
Bladder: Rubber
Use and Beyond
From backyard practice to game day, you can use and enjoy a
soccer ball for a long, long time, especially if you take good care
of it. Once it is worn out, though, a soccer ball can be difficult to
recycle because the materials in it can't be easily separated. But
you can reuse it, or donate it to an organization that will pass it
on to someone who will.
Score BigBy Taking Care of Your Ball
•*
-:
Do
Keep your ball inflated.
Keep your ball clean.
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grass or clay.
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Don't
Stand or sit on your ball. ,
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Leave your ball outside ™
overnight or in the rain.
Play on hard surfaces
like concrete or asphalt.
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA 530-F-15-010
April 2015
2
Assembly
Parts are assembled into a complete ball using glue or
stitching.
Cover material is rolled out to make a strong, smooth
exterior, and panels are glued or stitched together.
linind is glued to the cover. Several layers of lining
add shape and durability.
Thetladder goes inside to keep the ball inflated.
Exterior is printed with graphics and logos and coated
with plastic for durability.
CO2 and Climate Change
Did you know that making new products produces carbon dioxide
(C02), a greenhouse gas? Greenhouse gases trap heat in the
atmosphere, making the Earth warm enough to allow creatures to
live. Unfortunately, humans are adding too much carbon dioxide to
the atmosphere, causing climate change. Changes in climate can
result in stronger storms, melting glaciers, and loss of wildlife habitat.
Transportation
Every material used to make a soccer ball, as
well as the finished ball itself has to get from
one place to another, and ultimately to you!
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E
ach stage of a product's life can affect the environment in
different ways.
Gathering and Processing Materials. P rod ucts
are made from materials found in or on the Earth, such as
trees or metal. Once materials are gathered, they must be converted
into a form that can be used to make products. For example, paper
is made from trees, but the wood has to undergo several different
processes before it can be used as paper.
Getting to, gathering, and processing materials creates pollution,
uses energy, and depletes our limited natural resources. Making new
products from recycled materials reduces the amount of raw materials
used during manufacturing, decreasing the environmental impact of
these products. Also, designing products to be durable and repairable
can extend the life of a product or help prevent unnecessary wastes.
Assembly. Products are made in factories, which use
electricity and other forms of energy that can produce
pollution. The manufacturing process can also produce wastes that
must be disposed of in landfills.
Transportation. Finished products are transported
in trucks, boats, planes, and trains to different locations
where they are sold. All of these forms of transportation
require fuel, which can contribute to air pollution and climate
change. Buying products made closer to home may decrease the
impacts associated with transportation.
Use and Beyond. Using products designed to
be durable and reusable instead of disposable reduces
the need to create a new product from scratch. This
saves resources and prevents pollution. Taking good
care of your products or donating products that you no longer
need extends the life of those products. Using products for other
purposes or recycling therm reduces waste and saves natural
resources.
Upeyeled Flowerpot
Do you have an old soccer ball that you can't
use anymore but can't bear to part with? Why
not try to extend its life by turning it into
something else?
You will need:
• An old soccer ball
• Scissors
• Two small potted plants
• A pencil
Directions:
1. With your pencil, draw a line around the
center of the soccer ball. This will be the
line you follow to cut your ball in half.
2. Get an adult to help you cut the cover
of the soccer ball. You may find that it
is easier to cut along the panel stitching
rather than trying to cut a straight line.
3. When the soccer ball has been cut, remove
the lining and the bladder so that all that
is left is the two halves of the cover.
4. Place your potted plant, with its pot, inside
one half of the soccer ball. Do the same
thing with the second potted plant and the
other half of the soccer ball.
5. Place your potted plants in a spot that
help the plants to grow.
Help John find his soccer ball by guiding him through the
four stages of the life of a soccer ball. Use the symbols
from this poster to help you find all four:
Extra Time Huddle
Now that you know what goes into making a soccer ball,
see if you can apply those lessons to other products by
thinking about and discussing the questions below.
• Think about some of the items you use each day.
What raw materials are they made of? Where are they
made? How long do they last?
* Transportation is required at every step of a
product's life. What types of transportation are more
environmentally friendly? How could they be made
cleaner and more efficient?
• Sooner or later, everything gets worn out. What
will you do with them when you can no longer use
them? What are some ways you can reuse worn
out products? Think about sports equipment, toys,
beverage containers, etc.
• Sometimes, buying a new product is the only option.
What can you do to reduce the environmental
impacts of the products you buy? How do you know
which products are more earth friendly?
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