PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Synthetic turf sports pitches are in high demand as they offer optimal playability in all weather conditions. However, concerns exist about the presence of hazardous chemicals/substances, mainly derived from rubber from end-of-life tyres and intentionally added microplastics, which could impact human health and the environment. Moreover, the current end-of-life management of turf pitches is unsustainable as in most cases end-of-life turf pitches are sent for incineration or to landfill.
Therefore, the development of safe and sustainable turf pitches, aligned with European policies and future legislation related to Polycyclic-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and microplastics, is required.
OBJECTIVES
The overall objective of LIFET4C is the design and manufacture of a new synthetic turf pitch achieving high performance technical characteristics while being safe and sustainable, including sustainable end-of-life management. This will involve the optimisation of the design and manufacture of the different components from technology readiness level (TRL) 7 and scaled up to TRL9, and integration into a competitive turf pitch proven in an operational environment.
The specific LIFE T4C objectives are to:
Optimise the design and manufacture of T4C turf pitch elements (infill, elastic layer, grass and backing, plastic retention system), ensuring safety, sustainability and high performance of the integrated elements in a new pitch.
Demonstrate the new T4C turf system in three pitches (two mini-pitches (2,925 m2) and one full-sized pitch (7,600m2)) in an operational environment (TRL9).
Integrate Safe and Sustainability across the T4C value chain through:
Integration of the T4C ICT platform
Development of the framework for the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD)
Increasing the T4C value chain sustainability
Demonstrate environmental, social and economic sustainability across the T4C value chain through continuous assessment.
Develop T4C business cases and related exploitation plans, ensuring project sustainability, replication and scalability.
RESULTS
The project’s expected results are:
Reduction of 40.96 % of CO2 emissions per pitch produced compared to conventional pitches, equivalent to a reduction of 50,340.39 tonnes of CO2 emissions over a 5-year period.
Increase the resource efficiency of a synthetic turf pitch by 100 %, i.e. an increase of the resource efficiency of 28,500 tonnes of materials in a 5-year period after the end of the project.
100% reduction in use of environmentally hazardous substances in pitches, equivalent to a reduction in the use of 984,390 kg of PBT plastic and very persistent and very bio-accumulative (vPvB) substances used in infill material over a 5-year period.
A reduction of plastics and micro plastics leaking into the surrounding environment of 97.73% and 100% respectively.
The technical and economic demonstration of six new business cases generating industrial benefits for project partners of € 31,383,320 in a 5-year period and leveraging investment of € 3,797,476.
Direct creation of 96 jobs by project partners in a 5-year period.
Increased social acceptability of sustainable solutions.
