The national Game on Recycling program hopes to prevent as many tennis balls from ending up in landfill and instead be recycled responsibly.

The newly-formed Bendigo Tennis Club has taken the opportunity with both hands - in addition to engaging other clubs, such as Spring Gully with the initiative.

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BTC vice president Chris Lloyd said Game on Recycling was important to ensure sustainability within the tennis community.

"Up until now most old balls would just end up in landfill," he said.

"As a club we're keen to ensure that balls get used to their full extent and once there's no longer a use for them that they are responsibly recycled."

One club that BTC has invited to participate with the initiative is Spring Gully.

SGTC secretary Ardel Shamsullah said the club was delighted to come on board.

"Over the years we've been concerned with the amount of balls that we use," he said.

"When we have competitions we open new balls which are then used within our club or coaches give them away or we even give them to local schools.

"However, there is a point when they are no longer useful and may end up in landfill, therefore a recycling scheme such as Game on is what's been needed for a long time as there is a wide-sptread concern within the tennis community to make our sport as sustainable as possible."

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The initiative has even been backed by one of Australia's top players in Alex de Minaur.

"Sports people like myself have a great chance to help and save our environment and I feel like it is our responsibility to put these sustainable initiatives into practice," he said.

"Considering that I use about 12 tennis balls a day, and when I'm using them about 50 weeks of the year, it's a big number.

"I'm excited to work with Wilson in their efforts - as the world's leading manufacturer of high-performance sporting goods, they are in the best position to drive sustainability in sport.".

The plan is to have 220 collection sites across Australia, the balls will then be sent to the Australian New Zealand Recycling Platform's processing facilities in West Melbourne.

Looking ahead to the future, Lloyd hoped to engage even more clubs within the region to get involved.

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