Just 1 more rep: Donating or using old sports equipment keeps it out of landfills for longer time

SINGAPORE – Planning to buy new sports equipment such as treadmills, stationary bikes or weights to help meet your New Year’s Resolutions and fitness goals? You may want to consider using or buying pre-loved hardware, or taking up a gym membership, instead.

This is because used sports equipment is typically not recyclable and most waste collection systems, including Singapore’s, do not have dedicated recycling channels for such items. The discarded equipment is likely to be incinerated and end up in the landfill, said the Singapore Environment Council (SEC).

“Unwanted sports equipment which is still functional or can be repaired should be resold or donated so as to extend their lifespan,” added the SEC in response to queries from The Straits Times about a

recent circular bazaar by sports retailer Decathlon

, where participants can trade in their used Decathlon sports gear for up to $800 in vouchers.

At the bazaar, sports lovers received vouchers for trading in items such as weights, scooters, skateboards and winter apparel, with varying valuations based on the condition of the products.

SEC, which commended Decathlon for its efforts to reduce waste, said: “Fast-moving fashion trends can result in high turnover and disposal of equipment when trends fall out of fashion.”

Decathlon said its Oct 25 to 26 bazaar drew 15,000 visitors and saw it collect over 2.5 tonnes of pre-loved equipment – 40 per cent more than the previous edition in March.

Attendee Jorene Cheng, 39, returned her skateboard at the event. She said she fell while using it for the first time and has not used it since.

Said Ms Cheng: “Regardless of the trade-in value, at least the product gets a second life. Many people buy different sports equipment to try, but they do not use it after and it is left there.”

In response to the success of the bazaar, Decathlon said that for future editions it would expand the categories of products it buys back from five to 15. The expanded list includes camping furniture, backpacks, hiking poles, golf equipment, basketball hoops and rackets.

Home-grown gym equipment retailer Carbyne Fitness also has a trade-in programme.

People can donate their equipment to the company, which arranges for collection and then passes it on to needy families and seniors.

Donors may also leave their equipment at its warehouse in Tampines.

Its founder, Mr Brian Chang, said that many retailers, especially smaller ones, are unable to offer trade-in programmes because of limited resources.

Besides trying to give equipment a second home, Mr Chang said that when Carbyne Fitness sources its products, it ensures that replacement parts are available and also tests equipment for durability.

He noted that there are few avenues for donating sports equipment and said he has seen discarded equipment such as treadmills and benches at his HDB block, with many people assuming that donating such bulky items would cost at least $100 for removal.

The National Environment Agency urged fitness enthusiasts to dispose of their used sports equipment properly.

It added that residents in Housing Board estates and private apartments may contact their town councils or their estate management agents for the removal of bulky items.

Businesses and residents in landed housing estates may contact the appointed waste collectors directly for removal service.

In response to queries from ST, national agency Sport Singapore (SportSG) said that it prioritises the repair of equipment at its sport facilities wherever possible.

It added that it encourages sustainable habits during its events, such as by asking participants to bring their own water bottles and having medals and trophies made from wood or recycled cans.

“We also focus on reducing waste generation through careful planning and resource allocation at our events,” said SportSG.

Mr Chang said that in terms of environmental friendliness, the difference between getting a gym membership and buying home gym equipment could be “equivalent to taking public transport versus buying a car”.

However, he also pointed out that the emissions produced by one’s journey on transport to the gym may make investing in home gym equipment “worthwhile” in the long term.

He said: “The user saves travelling time and reduces their carbon footprint to the extent that having equipment at home will be worth it over a long period of time such as five or 10 years.

“Ultimately, it depends on the individual’s commitment, distance from the gym, budget and other factors. I would not say there is a one-size-fits-all solution.”