Yes, it does. According to a study by the University of Wollongong, Australia, 86 tons of microplastics washes to the ocean every year through the use of surfboard wax.

A lot of people comment on social media and send me messages asking or arguing that surf wax doesn't melt into the ocean unless the surfboard is really hot or it is the wrong kind of wax. But the fact is that surf wax melts into the ocean. 

How many wax from your surfboard washes into the ocean?

Even though it's not in huge quantities, every surfboard with wax will leave residues of it in the ocean. And if you consider that 13 to 24 million surfboards are sold annually, that is a lot of surf wax. 

How does wax breaks into the ocean?

On every popup, paddling, every more agressive maneuouvre a little bit of wax will leave from your board and drop into the ocean, and typical surf wax (all the most popular and most commonly used brands) contain chemicals such as paraffin wax, petroleum jelly, microcrystalline wax, vistanex as well as synthetic glues, resins, dyes, and fragrances and many of these chemicals are highly harmful to marine life and coral reefs. Also, wax breaks into tiny particles, contributing significantly to microplastic pollution in the ocean.

Worst... the paraffin/wax we use as anti-skid material to surf will never, but NEVER, be absorbed by nature. 

What alternatives do I have?

You can choose a permanent solution as our Van der Waal surf grips or any other traction pads. If you want to stick to wax, we encourage you to move toward eco-friendly surf wax made from plant-based waxes, natural resins, and biodegradable ingredients, which are less harmful to marine ecosystems than petroleum-based paraffin.