New legislation drawn up by ECHA since the introduction of EU Regulation 2023/2055 of 25 September 2023 restricts the formation of microplastics. This is particularly relevant for the infill used on artificial grass football pitches
Ground SBR infill, derived from ground car tyres, gives rise to a multitude of environmental problems such as the smell of butadiene and the leaching of PAHs and zinc. Non-infill pitches that last a few months are not a good solution and the use of rubber substitutes such as TPE or TPU ultimately still lead to the formation of microplastics.
The industry has tried to develop biodegradable infill. For example; cork, redwood chips and olive pits, all of which pulverise too quickly or cause skin problems during sliding. PLA foam and PBAT foam with densities of 200-300 kg/m3 offer a good alternative, but can float on the field and still contribute to the formation of microplastics, because they do not break down quickly enough and do not comply with ECHA legislation.
Coated sand has been used for a long time that was coated with polyethylene. It provides an elastic substrate, offers excellent playability and this solved many problems, such as spreading over the field and taking the infill home, but ultimately it is not a microplastic-free solution.
Together with a Finnish company, Innograaf has developed and patented the infill based on a cellulose polymer that does not lead to the formation of microplastics, because it does not in the “desert climate” on the field, but it does outside the field.
The product performs very well during its lifespan on the field, because certain environmental aspects are missing to give a fast degradation during use. However, once the material comes into contact with fungi in the soil or comes into prolonged contact with salt or fresh water, it does break down. Combined with the relatively low cost compared to other biobased alternatives, it delivers excellent performance, as shown by the experiences of players, and it meets FIFA standards. In Scandinavia, 40 fields are already equipped with this infill. In the Netherlands, it is unknown.
Microplastic-free infill is now available for use on football fields, allowing young children to play on the field without the risk of skin damage and the infill does not come home with you, does not end up in the washing machine and does not end up in the environment.
