Saving Scuba Gear From the Scrap Heap

Sort through the National Aquarium's recycling and you'll find cardboard boxes, paper, aluminum cans and ... scuba gear? Truthfully, the latter looks more like a collection of metal clips, springs, screws and pistons than diving equipment. That's where the ingenuity and tinkering know-how of the Aquarium's five-person Dive Programs team come in. Parts from regulators, buoyancy control devices—even wet suits—get a second life, either by being repurposed or recycled. On a recent visit to the team's workshop, Senior Assistant Dive Safety Officer Josh Foronda showed off what this kind of waste reduction looks like.

Reduce

Josh is no stranger to taking dive equipment apart and putting it back together. The near-daily dives at the Aquarium take their toll on equipment, so regular maintenance is a top priority and part of the Dive Programs team's standards. (After all, no one wants malfunctioning gear when they're 13 feet underwater.) Dive equipment is replaced on a strict schedule for safety's sake, but proactively addressing wear and tear reduces the need to replace items early or toss perfectly good gear just because a single part failed.

So, Josh is always on the lookout for worn O-rings, cracked hoses, leaky valves, torn seams and more. When something breaks, he first asks, "Is this equipment in good shape overall?" If yes, he'll replace the component, ideally with one made of more durable or longer-lasting material. If not, the entire piece enters the next phase of the process. Can it be reused? Can it be recycled? Is it bound for the landfill?

Reuse

The Aquarium's primary scuba gear vendor requires that out-of-warranty equipment be dismantled, so there's no shortage of material for Josh to work with once he's taken it all apart. Vest straps, regulator mouthpieces, and bonded nylon wet suit thread can all be reused; he salvages these from otherwise damaged equipment to keep on hand for repairs or replacements. But what about when something like a buoyancy control device lands on his workbench? Well, all it takes is a little imagination.

These devices help divers maintain the right amount of flotation, thanks to an internal air bladder. The air bladder isn't something Josh can reuse, but the cummerbund and vest materials are perfect for turning into something new. A cut here, new seams there, a buckle, a few straps and voila: he's crafted an adjustable water bottle holder or tool pouch.

Recycle

Once he's pulled the useful synthetic fabrics, elastic cords and spare parts from the equipment, Josh turns his attention to other components. A lot of scuba gear is made of metal, specifically stainless steel and chrome-plated brass. Both are fair game for recycling and abundant in regulators, the breathing equipment that lowers pressurized gas to levels divers can comfortably inhale.

He cuts through hoses and disassembles everything, sorting and setting aside the springs, valve pistons and washers. After he has gathered enough metal, he or someone else on the team drops it off in bulk at a specialized recycling service. What remains are the various plastic, rubber and resin components that cannot be recycled.

A Smaller Scrap Heap

Though Josh still sweeps some parts and materials into the trash, bound for a landfill or incinerator, his work makes a significant difference in the amount of waste the team generates. "Recycling and reducing waste are things I'm passionate about," he says. "I'm taking these things apart anyway, so this is really just another use of my skills and helps with the Aquarium's larger conservation mission."

Beyond helping the Aquarium operate in environmentally conscious ways, the Dive Programs team's efforts are also financially prudent for the whole organization. As a private nonprofit, the Aquarium relies on funding from visitors, members, corporate partners and donors, and is committed to spending these resources wisely.

When it comes to reducing, reusing and recycling, every little bit helps, especially when we all pitch in. So, what can you do?