Natural and synthetic turf can be re-used once it has passed its initial lifespan, and the practice is becoming much more common.
That’s the message from the EMEA Synthetic Turf Council, ESTC. Yesterday the organisation, which advocates for the artificial turf industry in all contexts, published a case study about the use of a ‘cork granulate performance infill, recycled sand stabilising infill, and recycled components from old pitches in the turf yarns, backing coating, and shockpads’.
This is the first example of its kind to be installed in the Netherlands, and initial data suggest a 43% carbon reduction per metre squared compared with a traditional 3G pitch. The pilot was commissioned by the municipality of Gemeente Amsterdam and the technology unveiled at FC Weesp. It is hoped that a wider rollout can contribute to the EU sustainable development goal of reaching a 50% recycling rate for all plastic waste by 2030.
‘A synthetic turf pitch is the ideal solution for a club of FC Weesp’s size, offering a durable, high-quality playing surface that can meet KNVB standards without the maintenance costs associated with a natural grass pitch, demonstrating that sustainability, affordability, and performance can all work in tandem,’ said Stefan Diderich, Director General and CEO of EMEA Synthetic Turf Council (ESTC). ‘This proof-of-concept project is just one of many ways that football clubs and local authorities can offer a high-quality playing surface that can sustain long-term intensive usage, while also working towards a more circular economy.’
The use of recycled pitches in football is rapidly evolving from a relative niche to a common practice. Closer to home, Active Stirling installed a new 11-a-side, FIFA standard, 3G football pitch back in 2022 and managed to recycle the old artificial turf and shock pad at Britain’s first dedicated recycling centre for end-of-life synthetic turf pitches (EOLP), in Grangemouth.
Operated by Sportex, the company also managed to reuse sand and SRB rubber from the old pitch, making this available to other sporting facilities. After infill was removed, the used synthetic turf was also shredded, cleaned, and processed to produce TREKboards: 100% recycled plastic kickboard product that has been installed around the perimeter of the new facility.
Last year, the University of Bath unveiled the UK’s first 100% recyclable 3G pitch, which contains no latex and a single polymer throughout, making the reuse process far simpler. Engineered wood is used as infill, which is naturally cushioning and has a high grip, but also biodegradable.
‘The addition of this new recyclable 3G pitch supports our world-class sporting facilities, and will create enhanced opportunities for our students, staff and the community to take part in sport and be active at the Team Bath Sports Training Village,’ said Professor Phil Taylor, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Bath.
Meanwhile, at the highest level, Wembley Stadium completed its own 100% recyclable pitch installation in 2024, in what was then believed to be a world first. Two years in the making, the world famous stadium confirmed it had developed a process where plastic used beneath real turf in most professional football settings could be extracted and repurposed. This adds to the facility’s established reputation as one of the greenest stadia on the planet.
‘It’s been a long journey, testing and re-testing, but we have finally come up with a solution we are happy with,’ said Karl Standley, the Grounds Manager at Wembley Stadium. ‘Creating something from a pitch that has had world class players perform on it is the ultimate memento. I am excited about what else we can possibly create in the future.
‘Extracting the plastic from a hybrid pitch is notoriously difficult, due to its compound and structure,’ he continued. ‘When we first mooted the idea of recycling it, we were told it couldn’t be done. However, we were determined to find a sustainable answer to the problem.’ You can watch a video on this below.
Image: Jonathan Petersson / Unsplash
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