Soil pollution beneath artificial grass pitches

The soil beneath many artificial turf pitches is becoming heavily polluted. In probably dozens of cases, the standards of the Soil Quality Decree have now been exceeded.

The cause is the leaching of zinc from shredded car tyres used as rubber infill. Recycling Netwerk, a coalition of environmental organisations, wants more attention paid to the quality of recycling and calls this recycling of car tyres "a classic example of bad recycling". The environmental inspectorate has been asked what it intends to do about it.

Car tyres consist of 20 to 30 per cent of various metals and additives, including 1 to 2% zinc oxide. Due to the leaching of the zinc in shredded car tyres, zinc is constantly washing down onto the artificial turf pitches and the layer beneath those pitches is becoming increasingly polluted: an environmental problem on top of the potential health issues that were flagged earlier.

Before the first artificial turf mat is replaced (after 10 to 15 years), the soil underneath it can already be so heavily polluted that the standards of the Soil Quality Decree have been exceeded. In the case of an artificial turf pitch with sufficient drainage sand and lava granules underneath, it takes decades before not only the sublayer but also the soil underneath becomes too heavily polluted. But without a sublayer, the soil standard can be exceeded after just 4 or 6 years; with a limited sublayer (lava granules only), the calculated time was 7 or 10 years.

The degree of pollution varies

The severity of the pollution under artificial turf pitches therefore depends on the sublayer used, but also on many other factors: How long has the artificial turf mat been there? Which shredded car tyres were used as rubber infill (truck tyres contain twice as much zinc)? How much rubber infill was used? And how much was added later?

On-site investigation is needed to determine under how many of the 2,000 artificial turf pitches in the Netherlands the environmental standards are already being exceeded. And under how many artificial turf pitches this is likely to happen soon. Recycling Netwerk believes there is a high probability that the soil under dozens or even hundreds of artificial turf pitches is already excessively contaminated with zinc.

Environmental movement wants high-quality recycling

For years, Recycling Netwerk has been pointing out the need to look not only at recycling rates, but also much more at the quality of the recycling. Plastics recyclers are also calling for this. For the environmental movement, it is primarily about the environmental benefits of recycling.

According to them, the situation surrounding shredded car tyres clearly demonstrates what the risks are and how it should not be done. Robbert van Duin, chairman of Recycling Netwerk: “Of course, you don't get a circular economy simply by claiming that more needs to be recycled and then leaving it to the market. Things then go off the rails and you get these kinds of health and environmental problems instead of the environmental benefits we want. This mess with artificial turf pitches could have been prevented with a government that steers and regulates more. But now we are left to pick up the pieces and have therefore asked the environmental inspectorate: 'What are we going to do about it?'”

Recycling or disguised landfill?

The key legal question, in the end, is whether the rubber infill is an acceptable recycling product, or whether it should actually still be regarded as waste. The environmental inspectorate has been asked to state its position on this within two weeks.

Further details on zinc pollution under artificial turf pitches

Letter from Recycling Netwerk to the ILT on soil pollution under artificial turf pitches

The soil beneath many artificial turf pitches is becoming heavily polluted. In probably dozens of cases, the standards of the Soil Quality Decree have now been exceeded. The cause is the leaching of zinc from shredded car tyres used as rubber infill. Recycling Netwerk, a coalition of environmental organisations, wants more attention paid to the quality of recycling and calls this recycling of car tyres "a classic example of bad recycling". The environmental inspectorate has been asked what it intends to do about it.

Car tyres consist of 20 to 30 per cent of various metals and additives, including 1 to 2% zinc oxide. Due to the leaching of the zinc in shredded car tyres, zinc is constantly washing down onto the artificial turf pitches and the layer beneath those pitches is becoming increasingly polluted: an environmental problem on top of the potential health issues that were flagged earlier. Before the first artificial turf mat is replaced (after 10 to 15 years), the soil underneath it can already be so heavily polluted that the standards of the Soil Quality Decree have been exceeded. In the case of an artificial turf pitch with sufficient drainage sand and lava granules underneath, it takes decades before not only the sublayer but also the soil underneath becomes too heavily polluted. But without a sublayer, the soil standard can be exceeded after just 4 or 6 years; with a limited sublayer (lava granules only), the calculated time was 7 or 10 years.

The degree of pollution varies The severity of the pollution under artificial turf pitches therefore depends on the sublayer used, but also on many other factors: How long has the artificial turf mat been there? Which shredded car tyres were used as rubber infill (truck tyres contain twice as much zinc)? How much rubber infill was used? And how much was added later? On-site investigation is needed to determine under how many of the 2,000 artificial turf pitches in the Netherlands the environmental standards are already being exceeded. And under how many artificial turf pitches this is likely to happen soon. Recycling Netwerk believes there is a high probability that the soil under dozens or even hundreds of artificial turf pitches is already excessively contaminated with zinc.

Environmental movement wants high-quality recycling For years, Recycling Netwerk has been pointing out the need to look not only at recycling rates, but also much more at the quality of the recycling. Plastics recyclers are also calling for this. For the environmental movement, it is primarily about the environmental benefits of recycling. According to them, the situation surrounding shredded car tyres clearly demonstrates what the risks are and how it should not be done. Robbert van Duin, chairman of Recycling Netwerk: “Of course, you don't get a circular economy simply by claiming that more needs to be recycled and then leaving it to the market. Things then go off the rails and you get these kinds of health and environmental problems instead of the environmental benefits we want. This mess with artificial turf pitches could have been prevented with a government that steers and regulates more. But now we are left to pick up the pieces and have therefore asked the environmental inspectorate: 'What are we going to do about it?'”

Recycling or disguised landfill? The key legal question, in the end, is whether the rubber infill is an acceptable recycling product, or whether it should actually still be regarded as waste. The environmental inspectorate has been asked to state its position on this within two weeks.

Further details on zinc pollution under artificial turf pitches

Letter from Recycling Netwerk to the ILT on soil pollution under artificial turf pitches