The future EU ban on the use of rubber on artificial turf fields forces sports organizations to find new sustainability strategies
The SDG Striker project, with the participation of the football federations of Scotland, Norway and Portugal and funded by the EU, presents practical materials and success stories to adapt to regulatory changes and promote sustainable development goals also within the sports sector.
In a climate and environmental crisis, the European Union has announced adaptation and mitigation measures to a new reality that affects all socio-economic sectors, with the sports sector being one of the main ones affected.
In recent years, in an effort to reduce plastic pollution and its effects on terrestrial and marine ecosystems, as well as on human health, the EU has been deliberating on banning the use of rubber in artificial turf in sports facilities and other materials that generate microplastics . A controversial decision due to the incipient state of development of viable sustainable alternatives and the brake on the reuse of tires which, instead of being used to manufacture recycled rubber, can be incinerated or exported to third countries with less strict environmental regulations, resulting in a greater impact on the environment . On April 26, the initiative received a new impetus towards its approval with the positive vote of the European Committee for the Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH).
SDG Striker: solutions to improve sustainability in sports organizations
In this context, initiatives are emerging, not only to mitigate plastic pollution, but also to improve sustainability at a global level, in its environmental, social and economic pillars. European football federations and their affiliated clubs are taking important steps towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Scottish, Norwegian and Portuguese federations are a successful example through their participation in the SDG Striker project , funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ programme, and aimed at promoting the SDGs in the football and sport sector.
In this sense, the Norwegian Football Federation has created a pilot that is a reference in adapting to potential bans on the use of rubber and that aims to demonstrate the viability of organic alternatives in cold climates. For its part, the Portuguese Football Federation has demonstrated the impact on reducing electricity consumption and greenhouse gas emissions with the installation of photovoltaic panels at the Benfica stadium. Finally, the Scottish Football Federation has shown equally successful results in reducing environmental impact and sustainable development through the implementation of energy efficiency measures and raising awareness about energy poverty and how to deal with it, very necessary in the current geopolitical situation of energy crisis and price increases.
These are success stories that inspire other European clubs and federations to replicate sustainability measures and thus be able to prepare for the new changes that are expected in the sector, such as the ban on the use of rubber in artificial turf, which has an 8-year transition period. To make it easier for sports organizations to join the change, the SDG Striker project provides a series of manuals that include step-by-step how to replicate the pilots of the Scottish, Norwegian and Portuguese federations, providing advice and lessons learned to overcome the barriers that have been identified. The project also makes publicly available manuals on the assessment of pilots and a guide on the sustainability solutions currently available and specifically aimed at sports organizations.
Sports organizations are preparing for change
The project, as well as its success stories, were presented in Seville, at the Benito Villamarín Stadium, in an event organized in collaboration with the European Football for Development Network (EFDN) and Real Betis Balompié, in front of around 200 attendees including project coordinators, corporate social responsibility managers, CEOs and event managers from European and international clubs and federations. An opportunity to promote the project’s results and provide useful information to decision-makers so that they can take measures aimed at achieving the SDGs.
The session also highlighted the barriers clubs face in implementing sustainable measures and found that most attendees were aware of certain environmental and social issues related to the sports sector. It also helped to identify the lack of knowledge and tools for implementing measures to address these issues, highlighting the need for educational and outreach projects such as SDG Striker to equip sports organizations with the tools and knowledge needed to identify and address sustainability issues.
It is worth noting that a significant number of clubs are already implementing measures regarding energy efficiency and solar energy, with few clubs unwilling to switch to more sustainable artificial turf alternatives. While the former could be related to the high availability of renewable energy technology and the increase in energy prices with gas and oil, the latter could respond to the lack of options available on the market for the replacement of artificial turf and the slow development of performant and viable solutions.
Lack of funding and lack of commitment from sports organisations’ boards are the two main barriers identified to the replication of the pilots. Addressing these limitations is key to promoting the implementation of the SDGs in sports organisations. Projects aimed at raising awareness among directors, managers and other key players in sports organisations are useful in overcoming the barrier of lack of commitment, which is often directly related to a lack of knowledge about the subject and the steps to be taken to implement the measures. On the other hand, there are funding calls organised by the European Union and national and regional governments that can help overcome financial barriers. For more information on funding, see the 3rd edition of the SDG Striker magazine.
Funded by the European Union. The opinions and views expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the EACEA can be held responsible.
More information and contact:
Marc Vallverdu Gordi
Ecoservices Association
+34 93 459 00 22
