Thorough environmental investigation into artificial grass needed
The research that the RIVM and the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment are now going to conduct must be sufficiently representative and trustworthy, says environmental organisation Recycling Netwerk in response to the Zembla report on Wednesday evening. "To be able to speak of a thorough and representative study, it will have to meet the necessary conditions. Not more of those mini-studies […]"
The study that the RIVM and the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment are now going to conduct must be sufficiently representative and credible, says environmental organisation Recycling Netwerk in response to the Zembla report on Wednesday evening.
u201cTo be able to speak of a thorough and representative study, it will have to meet the necessary conditions. Not another one of those minor studies involving four or five of the thousands of artificial turf pitches, such as those delivered by the tyre industry. What is needed is a broad study, which, for example, also takes into account the wide variety of rubber granulate, sports fields and subsoilsu201d, emphasises Robbert van Duin, chairman of environmental organisation Recycling Netwerk.
For Recycling Netwerk, this study must quantify the environmental impact, including the bandwidth resulting from all kinds of differences in the use of tyre waste.
The following factors are of particular importance here:
u2981 The differences in types of shredded car tyres. This concerns shred and granulates of different sizes, from both passenger car and lorry tyres, from different brands, from different countries and therefore with a different composition.
u2981 The types of artificial turf pitches. This concerns not only official football pitches, but also hundreds of training pitches, kickabout pitches, hockey pitches, korfball pitches, rugby pitches, etc.
u2981 The different installation methods. This concerns rubber shred on pitches with a drainage layer, but also granulate in that layer and situations without a drainage layer.
u2981 The method of drainage: into the sewer system or into ditches or other surface water.
u2981 The diversity of soil types.
The study must focus on emissions of heavy metals such as zinc, but also on mineral oils, emissions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), octylphenol and other organic substances.
u201cTo this end, not only the soil and the verges must be analysed, but also the groundwater, surface water and silt. It is therefore not enough to analyse a few drainage wells after they have been flushed clean by a rain showeru201d, says Robbert van Duin: u201cAnd to be representative, it must therefore be a large-scale study of probably hundreds of sites. Because one artificial turf pitch is not the same as anotheru201d, Van Duin analyses.
Finally, RIVM must also take into account the loss of biodiversity resulting from switching from real grass to artificial turf. u201cLet us not forget that in a city, sports fields form the largest green area after parks. Switching to artificial turf therefore in any case has an impact on nature and biodiversity in citiesu201d, the chairman of Recycling Netwerk concludes.
More information:
Robbert van Duin
Chairman of Recycling Netwerk
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