Plastic pitches: The grass is most definitely greener
In years gone by the use of plastics, rubbers and synthetics in football pitches had been somewhat taboo at the professional level of the sport, however as technology advances there has been an acceptance to the use of such materials in pitches.
At a recreational level ‘3G’ materials have become a normal part of the game, these pitches consist of synthetic turf, sand infill and performance infill – typically rubber or EPDM, these pitches try and replicate the feel of playing sports on grass, as does the 4G material, however this surface does not require the use of infills and is less dense, the pitches provide an all-weather alternative for a game traditionally played through winter.
There had initially been concerns surrounding the safety of the rubbers and synthetics used in these surfaces, however according to research undertaken by the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Registration of Chemicals (REACH), the EU’s researcher into material safety the use of such material is safe, this has encouraged the Football Association (The FA) promote the ‘plastic pitches’. The FA has also promoted reusability in such synthetic pitches, according to its guidelines, pitches must contain substances called polycyclic-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Within this the FA encouraged infill to be produced from recycled rubber tyres produced from after 2010.
At the top level of the sport a more subtle use of synthetics has found its way into the modern game, the hybrid turf. The surface comprised of 90-95% natural turf is combined with a synthetic material usually comprised of nylon, polypropylene or polyethylene to create a durable, natural feeling surface. The vast majority of premier league clubs now boast such pitches including the likes of Liverpool who installed a hybrid pitch at the start of the season. In addition to better performance the club claims that the polyethene in the plastic pitch will allow for less maintenance and quicker growth during the stadium’s off season: “To the naked eye, the pitch will not look any different to last season; however, the new hybrid pitch will provide excellent performance, stability and resilience, while significantly reducing the time period for end-of-season renovations to a pitch ready for competitive use. The average in-stadia pitch renovation window is seven to eight weeks growth from seed. By installing a hybrid carpet system, the club is reducing this window to three to four weeks”.
The use of such materials has also had a noticeable positive affect on the game, according to a report in Reuters on plastic pitches the pace of play is ‘20% faster than they were just 20 years ago, largely because of the trueness and quality of the surfaces.’ The use of the polypropylene also makes waterlogging virtually impossible, gone are the days of trench like pitches of the 70’s and 80’s as English football enters what is possibly its strongest era to date, thanks in no part to a little bit of plastic.