Dangers of Modern Ski and Snowboard Wax

Look at the Numbers!

If a resort has 1 million skier visits per year, that calculates out to potentially 750,000 ounces, or 46,875 pounds of toxic ski wax that goes into some of our most “pristine” eco-systems. These small particles of toxic ski or snowboard wax go directly into the snow-pack. (That's the potential pollution from just one busy ski area). 

That may not sound like a lot of wax, but if you look at the numbers as a whole it is staggering!

What is the "potential" number Nationally?

The United States has almost 60 million skier visits in a typical year. That is potentially 45 million ounces or 2,812,500 (2.813 million) pounds of toxic ski wax depositing their chemicals into our ground water. Additionally Canada has almost 20 million visits per year that are not included in this number!

Is that acceptable or OK with you?

Most modern ski and snowboard waxes today are made up of Crude Oil and Petroleum by-products, Fluorocarbons, PTFE’s, Perfluorocarbons, and a number of other toxic chemicals.  In short, they are toxic chemical recipes that go straight from your skis or snowboards into the snow pack, and then into our ground water.

 Simple Flow Chart 

1. Crude Oil, Petroleum, and Toxic Chemicals.

   ►►

2.  Ski & Snow-Board Wax

  ►►

3. Snow-Pack Melts

  ►►

4. Lakes, Streams, Rivers

    ►►

5. Ground Water  ►►

6. Human Blood.

In the span of 10 years, using our projections, over 28 million pounds of toxic chemicals will potentially be deposited into our pristine mountain eco-systems. Will it end up in your blood, your kids, your grandkids? (Greentrax.org 2004)

Enviro Mountain Sports has a Solution!

We have invented an all-natural solution to this problem and are excited about its application and performance characteristics. Our waxes are made in the USA with ingredients grown by American Farmers.

We are a company that is made up of Skiers, Snowboarders, and Outdoor Enthusiasts. 

 

 

Most Ski and Snowboard wax Comes from Crude Oil!

Is it OK with You?

  • Fluoro Carbons usage, otherwise known under their trade name as “Teflon” and also “PTFE”, has become widespread in the snow sports industry.  PTFE is a branded fluorocarbon chain.
  • "Wax today contains more hazardous stuff than ever before. The most conventional wax, called hydrocarbon or paraffin wax, is distilled from petroleum and when burned, releases carcinogenic sulpher dioxide into the air .” (Tait Wardlaw-US Ski Racing Magazine.)
  • Bruno Knopli remarked that “The effect on the oxygen uptake capacity can last 30 minutes to 24 hours and begins within half to three quarters of an hour after entry into the wax room, especially when a synthetic wax such as Cera F is used at a very high temperature, which release gases –we now see that ordinary petroleum based waxes produce similar results.” ( Der Laufer (Swiss Magazine)
  • From the “Annals of Emergency Medicine” (Nov. 98) Describes the respiratory failure of a skier after waxing 40 pairs of skis in one session. The article is by Swiss Doctors that treated the skier and They believe that gases from the fluorocarbon ski wax were the cause.
  • Teflon Chemical in Babies’ Blood Teflon related chemical has been detected in baby’s blood (EWG report).  PFOA also known as perfluorooctanoic acid.
  • PFC's have been detected in Bald Eagles, and Mink in the United States.
  • Many of the chemicals used in ski & snowboard wax do not break down in our environment, they will still be toxic for thousands of years.

What Can You Do?

 

  • 1. Help us spread the  word.

  • 2. Use earth friendly products.

  • 3. Enjoy the benefits of using our products. Our all natural waxes promote superior performance characteristics of skis or snowboards.

  • 4. Enviro Mountain Waxes help you carve better turns, while enhancing the speed and control of your equipment!