Synthetic turf sports surfaces have been in use now for over 50 years and for most of this time, when they needed to be replaced, they have been lifted and disposed of in the most economical and convenient way. Often this has meant that surfaces ended up in landfill or being incinerated.
Today, society is much more environmentally aware, and this is encouraging suppliers, governments and policy makers to look at new ways of doing business. Legislators are beginning to make policies which require that sustainability and full life-cycle impacts are considered in procurement and supply chains.
One of SAPCA’s affiliate members, the European Synthetic Turf Council (ESTC), has published a guidance document on the disposal of synthetic turf and its component parts, and this document is supported by SAPCA.
The “ESTC Guide to Processing End of Life Synthetic Turf Sports Surfaces” is a practical guide to the key issues to consider when replacing and disposing of a synthetic turf surface, providing options and solutions to assist decision making when processing the waste material in a sustainable way and environmentally friendly way. It highlights current best practice and gives an overview of the legal obligations that need to be considered before a surface is disposed of.
As the synthetic turf industry continues to respond to the environmental agenda, and introduces new and innovative products and processes, this guide will be kept under frequent review and updated editions will be published.
For a copy of the guide please click here.