How Containment Measures Keep Turf Fields Safe and Sustainable

When it comes to playing fields, community leaders value sustainability.

That means easy, cost-effective maintenance and consistent accessibility, keeping recreation spaces open to those who want to play. And increasingly, it means taking practical measures to ensure that spaces are safe.

Two recent studies from European researchers highlight containment measures for artificial turf fields that use crumb rubber infill. They provide a blueprint for how communities can institute cost-effective measures to ensure that their turf fields are environmentally sustainable, while also providing a year-round space for play.

Here’s a closer look.

United Kingdom

The UK Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) released a study on ways to limit microplastic emissions through cost-effective containment measures. They recommended several methods to contain crumb rubber infill within the field complex. 

The measures include:

• Installing pitch barriers along the sides of the field
• Using decontamination stations as players and others exit the field, with brushes to wipe off cleats
• Adding on-site space for maintenance equipment, so that the equipment doesn’t carry the infill off the field
• Installing drainage and filters to keep infill from washing away from the pitch

As DEFRA notes in its report, the costs and labor required to undertake these measures are modest. And none of it changes the most important factor for communities: that crumb rubber infill has been shown to be safe by definitive government and academic studies.

Denmark

The Danish Technological Institute conducted similar research, analyzing a local sports facility to measure how a well-designed synthetic turf field with rubber infill performs. The Institute employed strategies such as physical barriers, cleaning stations, and drainage tools beneath the fields to prevent water runoff. 

Researchers found that with these in place, infill dispersal can be limited to less than 10kg a year. Ultimately, they wrote: “Data did not indicate that rubber granulate as infill material should be a significant source of PFAS contamination.” 

With appropriate strategies in place, communities can have confidence that synthetic turf fields align with environmental goals. After all, the fields help conserve water and eliminate the need for pesticides and fertilizers. 

These findings underscore that recycled rubber is a sustainable component of playing fields.

Communities are looking for ways to accommodate consistent play across all ages and activities. With these simple measures in place, they can look to turf to create a year-round opportunity for safe play.