Leiria calls on citizens to turn toothbrushes into surfboards

A campaign on the creativity behind recycling

The Leiria municipal website reported last week that the Portuguese municipality is taking part in a new campaign that seeks to instil greater awareness about the possibilities of plastic recycling. The campaign is called ‘Recycle to Surf’ and the name says it all since it is about the use of recycled plastic to create surfboards. And not any surfboards, but adapted ones that expand the possibilities of the aquatic sport to welcome people of various physical abilities.

The adapted surfboards so produced will be given out for free

Until February next year, people from Leiria will be able to hand over their used toothbrushes in the places created for the purpose. The plastic brushes will then be transformed into adapted surfboards and donated to the Portuguese Association of Adapted Surfing.

The sports association has a purpose to make the sport of surfing, which is quite popular in Portugal, as inclusive as possible with the introduction of adapted boards.

The adhesion of the Municipality of Leiria involves raising awareness and creating collection points with cardboard eco-points in various municipal spaces, including the Paços do Concelho Building, Afonso Lopes Vieira Municipal Library, Mercado de Sant'Ana Cultural Center, the Environmental Interpretation Center, the Municipal Swimming Pool Complex and the Municipal Swimming Pools of Caranguejeira and Maceira, which join the locations defined by the organization of the campaign.

The initiative, launched by the Jordan toothbrush brand, a pioneer dentalcare company with 100 percent recycled plastic products, aims to create conditions that make surfing possible for everyone and thus contribute to social inclusion.

With the aim of collecting a minimum of 15 kilos of plastic, the “Recycle to Surf” campaign should end in May 2022, when a ceremony will take place to hand over the boards produced from the toothbrushes.