FAQ 12 Environmental standards and the field

More in this section

• Teamwork
• ESG Criteria
• Safe Grounds
• Ecological Transition
• Benefit Activities
• FAQ 01 Issues in Fields
• FAQ 02 Player Safety
• FAQ 03 The Risks of Rubber
• FAQ 04 Zinc in Rubber
• FAQ 05 Advice to Players
• FAQ 06 How does POWERgrass solve?
• FAQ 07 Sports Fields Standards
• FAQ 08 Hours of play per week
• FAQ 09 Cost-Benefit Analysis
• FAQ 10 Regular vs Extraordinary
• FAQ 11 The Challenges of Sports Fields
• FAQ 12 Environmental standards and the field
• FAQ 13 Meaning of Sustainable Fields
• FAQ 14 Fields and Greenwashing

What are the environmental standards and how do they influence the choice between different types of sports fields?

Over the past three years, there have been significant changes in the environmental standards relating to playfields, which occurred following growing concerns about player safety, pollution, and general health. These new standards have had a significant impact on the selection criteria among the different types of playfields available in the market. In particular, this has led to a change in the types of playfields chosen by sports associations.

Previously, choices were often made based on the need for a more usable sports field with low maintenance costs, indicating a strong preference for synthetic grass fields with sand infill and crumb rubber inlay from post-consumer tires. However, despite their popularity, these fields have raised concerns about the safety of players, environmental pollution, and the health of citizens.

Today, the trend is towards natural grass fields. However, limited usability and higher maintenance costs are factors that can negatively influence this choice.

The new environmental standards are also reflected in the procurement code, which imposes mandatory environmental and social goals. The outcome principle was also introduced, hence requiring the provision of efficiency evidence for the cost/benefit ratio throughout the lifespan of the project. This means that it is now necessary to take into consideration the maintenance costs and end-of-life costs for removal, recycling, or disposal of the system. In addition, a continuous monitoring and reporting system is required to measure results and potentially certify the environmental impact.

The aim of these changes is to promote more sustainable and environment-friendly practices in the sports industry. However, it will take time to see how these changes will impact the choices made by sports associations and the industry in general. It is likely that we will need innovations in the field of playfield maintenance and new solutions to balance costs, sustainability, and practicability.