Petrochemicals are in 95% or all surf waxes today. Paraffin surf waxes are the most common. Paraffin is the final byproduct in the petroleum refining chain. It has been a reliable candle fuel. You can find many different grades. Petroleum waxes are derived from crude oil. The wax is separated from the other components during the refining process. First the crude oil is subjected to atmospheric pressure distillation. This step removes and separates all of the low boiling point components, such as gases, gasoline, naphtha, kerosene and diesel fuel. The higher boiling point components remaining are then processed by vacuum distillation. The distillate cuts are usually solvent extracted to remove impurities using polar solvents. The residue and some intermediates are solvent extracted using a combination of propane, phenol, and cresylic acid. The waxy oil cut is dissolved in a solvent blend. The solution is then chilled to about -28 °C. At this low temperature the wax precipitates from the oil, and can be removed using large rotary drum filters. The wax portion (slack wax) still contains a large amount of oil, up to as much as forty percent. It is dissolved in solvent again (deoiling step), reprecipitated, and filtered at about 5 °C. In some cases the deoiling step is repeated a second time. However, petrochemicals remain in these paraffin based waxes.

Why is this harmful to the environment?

Wax will not stay on your board forever, the petroleum based wax will eventually fall off. All of this wax in the water, on reefs, accumulating on delicate ecosystems will eventually add up. Petroleum based wax although a small contribution to reef degradation, multiplied with millions of surfers worldwide has a large effect. Help us be consciencious about what we put back into the water after a long day of taking from the water.  Phil's Original Organic surf wax only requires a thin application to keep you on your board and with its all organic materials has no effect on these ecosystems. Let's make it happen!