New Type Synthetic Turf Field Paves Way For Sports Facilities

How can we make the synthetic turf pitch even more environmentally friendly?  This was the question raised by the Swedish municipality of Kalmar when it started construction of its new sports facility.

Specifically, the planners focused on the discharge of rubber granulate. Thanks to a range of structural measures, it has been reduced to a minimum, Kalmar officials said. One of the partners of the project was the Swedish Football Association, whose recommendations were incorporated into the project. In addition, the synthetic turf is certified by the Swedish Institute for Standards (SIS) and as a result has become a model for other Swedish sports facilities.

For the playing surface, the sports field planners and developers installed LigaTurf Legend synthetic turf system with sand/rubber infill manufactured by Germany-based Polytan. To prevent rubber granulate from entering the environment, special filter systems were used in the drains, among other measures. In addition, the football club instituted new special care guidelines for cleaning the operating equipment.

At the same time, users of the pitch are informed about how they can reduce the spread of granulate. Athletes, for example, are informed that any granulate they find stuck to their shoes must be brushed off before they leave the pitch. Granulate is also often discharged during snow clearance, so the municipality has implemented a snow-removal process whereby the snow is placed in a dedicated off-pitch location that allows any discharged granulate to be collected during the melting process and returned to the pitch.

Now in active use for nearly two years, the synthetic turf pitch in Kalmar is being hailed as a model for other sports facilities in Sweden.

© Scrap Tire News, January 2021