The POWERgrass hybrid system is in line with the "Do No Significant Harm" (DNSH) principle for the environment, which is essential for accessing PNRR funding. It provides the opportunity to create an innovative and effective field to meet all six objectives of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) because: a) it promotes ecological transition by spreading knowledge of ecological sports field maintenance that can also be extended to the agricultural sector, b) it monitors growth conditions and remotely manages installed systems using digital technology, c) it strengthens the growth of SMEs investing in innovation and training, d) it offers opportunities for international social cohesion by organizing tournaments with PRO teams, e) it has a positive impact on health and the environment and is resilient to climate change, and f) it promotes new skills that stimulate the critical, civic, and collaborative sense of young operators. With continuous but reduced maintenance, the POWERgrass hybrid system can last up to 30 years and is reusable at the end of its life cycle.
Rubber infills are microplastics
Undoubtedly, synthetic grass increases the number of playing hours and simplifies maintenance, but it has a negative environmental impact, detrimental in the absence of controls regarding the lack of maintenance, which is even difficult to verify without constant monitoring because as long as the grass is green, it seems everything is in order. Additionally, waste management of synthetic fields at the end of their life cycle only stimulates the underworld that speculates during the disposal phase.
Meanwhile, the market is shifting towards more environmentally friendly synthetic grass systems because concerns about the environmental impact of microplastics have led to extensive research, resulting in a report from the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) on how to reduce emissions into the environment. The report estimates that around 50,000 tons of microplastics are used annually in the EU/EEA and that about 42,000 tons are released into the environment (including emissions from infill materials used for artificial grass, which could amount to 16,000 tons per year).
In January 2019, ECHA proposed to the European Commission a total ban on rubber infills in synthetic grass fields in the EU/EEA market to prevent or reduce their release into the environment. It is estimated that this solution could reduce emissions by at least 70% and prevent the release of 500,000 tons of microplastics over the 20 years following its introduction.
The reform of the REACH regulation provides forbidding the use of microplastics within 6 years of its entry into force. Meanwhile, governments offer non-repayable incentives or green credits to those today moving towards systems and business models following the principles of circular economics in a sustainable and effective manner. An ecological footprint must be traced, considering the entire lifecycle of the system with a holistic design that measures impact at every stage: a) production and installation, b) use and maintenance period, and c) processes implemented regarding who, what, why, when, and where residues are intended to be disposed of. Each project must also develop and fund the associated maintenance costs because regular maintenance reduces extraordinary maintenance. Consideration must be given to the consumption of natural resources, the risks associated with weather events over a minimum 30-year horizon of climate change, and the disposal or recovery at the end of the life cycle with the strategic objective of creating employment in circular processes.
This creates the need for a hybrid turf that has a neutral or positive environmental impact, offers a resistant field, and reduces maintenance, providing economic interest to investors. According to our studies, confirmed by independent studies from Sport England, POWERgrass is an effective system capable of addressing these issues, offering high usability with reduced maintenance.
The hybrid grass system (natural and synthetic) POWERgrass is an effective alternative to fully synthetic grass systems, combining play safety, high usability, and positive environmental impact, at low maintenance costs.
Dr. Niko Sarris
Annual Solar Radiation in kilo Langley
Despite the development of higher quality products in recent years, at best, a synthetic grass field does not exceed 10 years of life. Synthetic fibers exposed to the sun deteriorate more than 50% in about 3.5-4.5 years, which refers to reaching 650 kLy (kilo Langley) of exposure to solar radiation.
At the same time, last-generation synthetic turf systems promote organic infill to simulate natural soil and keep the surface cool, but the water evaporation is still much higher than natural turf. The low density of organic components makes them easily removable by wind and rain, so it is necessary to replenish the infill material every year, to maintain the performance characteristics of the system and extend its lifespan.
Disposing of old synthetic systems in an authorized landfill costs €0.45/kg because plastic is a special non-hazardous waste, and costs are expected to rise in the future due to decreasing landfill availability. Additionally, removal, separation of various plastic components, and transportation costs must be added, not to mention that disposing of old fields in a landfill is a serious and poorly managed problem because it often escapes controls.
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Grass sprouted 7 days from sowing
The sunlight (radiation) associated with intensive use especially on hotter days (above 30°C) are the main factors leading to the degradation of synthetic fiber polymers. Generally, harmful radiation is the UV component (290-300 nm). UV light absorption causes breakage of C-H and C-C bonds, formation of free radicals, resulting in a decrease in polymer molecular weight, oxygen absorption, and appearance of new chemical groups (coloration, hydrophilicity). In fluoropolymers, the C-F bond is more stable and does not break with UV light. Therefore, the higher the fluorine content of the polymer, the better its stability outdoors. However, over the last few decades, health concerns over fluorochemicals have prompted the industry to eliminate them from use. The massive fine by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) against DuPont in 2005 is impressive.
The hybrid carpet used in the POWERgrass system contains no fluorochemicals because they are protected by natural grass, and as long as it is maintained constantly, the synthetic fibers are not exposed to the sun, so they do not undergo aging due to photo-oxidation of UV rays.
The natural grass is the predominant component for 97% in POWERgrass, while the synthetic carpet is almost imperceptible to the athlete. Natural grass helps prevent soil erosion, reduces temperature, and purifies the air from fine dust, filters rainwater, captures carbon dioxide CO2, and produces oxygen O2. By sequestering carbon into the soil, the system offers a significant positive environmental impact because it is known that lawns can sequester anywhere from 25.4 to 204.3 g C/m2/year (Zirkle et al., 2011); POWERgrass optimizes photosynthesis potential with regenerative agriculture practices, sequestering more carbon in the soil. Our goal is that within two years of installation, each field can benefit from its soil biology and reduce fertilizer inputs.
The natural turf retains rainwater in the substrate thanks to roots and associated microorganisms, slowing runoff to the drainage system. Grass returns moisture to the air through leaf transpiration, promoting the natural water cycle. Nutrients are retained by vegetation and the rich associated bacterial flora, also through foliar applications that are more effective and prevent leaching and aquifer pollution. When the plant substrate is rain-saturated, some water reaches drainage trenches and recharges aquifers with naturally filtered clean water. Only excess water enters micro-perforated pipes and flows into the sewer system, thus avoiding accumulation with wastewater and flood risk.
The synthetic backing prevents compaction of the subbase, retains moisture, and facilitates gas exchange, essential for roots and microorganisms. For this reason, the synthetic backing creates the ideal habitat for root development, offering protection from heat, cold, insects, and diseases. To maintain optimal growth conditions, POWERgrass requires mechanical raking and surface aeration with a spike roller every 30 hours of use and generally two deep aerations to facilitate gas exchange during warm/humid early summer and cold/humid late autumn periods. Associated with natural cork integrated into the top substrate, the system remains soft longer without frequent maintenance.
ZOEsand soil amendment provides a buffering effect by absorbing water entering the rhizosphere, preserving playing conditions even in the rain; it absorbs excess nutrients and exchanges them with the bacterial flora to transfer them to plants when needed, encouraging more regular growth. Careful irrigation water management saves the most precious resource and strengthens natural turf, making it more resilient to climate change.
Comparison synthetic and hybrid grass
Considering the overall amortization and reserve cost for extraordinary maintenance to periodically redo a playing field - every 10 years for a synthetic field (mandatory) and 20 years for a hybrid field (not mandatory) - and the cost for regular maintenance, we have a very similar annual incidence.
In POWERgrass, regular maintenance must be constant but is reduced compared to natural fields because holes don't form, but is higher compared to synthetic fields because it requires fertilizers, seeds, line paint, and the purchase of more professional equipment. However, with an initial investment in equipment that can be included in the investment plan, if maintenance is carried out regularly, extraordinary interventions can be avoided for replenishing infill in a synthetic field or for replacing sods in a natural field.
The amortization plan for a synthetic field lasts about 10 years in northern Italy and 8 years in the south, while a well-designed and maintained hybrid field allows the investment to be amortized over 20 years. For long-term financing, the remaining works (lighting, fencing, changing rooms, stands) also benefit from a longer amortization plan.
Natural grass aids hydraulic land management because it can absorb a large volume of water in the sandy substrate after heavy rainfalls and retain free water suspended between the substrate's mesopores, thanks to capillary forces until the complete saturation of the substrate. Only when gravitational forces exceed capillary forces in the substrate does excess water transfer to drainage layers, thus mitigating the runoff speed of rainwater towards drains. Large rainwater collection tanks are suggested to be installed, which, once filtered and purified by natural grass, can be reused for irrigation, avoiding the extraction of aquifer drinking water.
Considering the indirect savings on environmental impact as well as weather risk, the POWERgrass hybrid system always wins because preserving health and preventing damage is the best insurance policy we can take.
For example, in a synthetic field, frequent brushing of rubber infill in a synthetic field is necessary to lift fibers and redistribute rubber granules but encourages the production of fine dust and microplastics. Investing in a hybrid field also benefits our health because instead of synthetic brushing, the natural grass is cut, releasing the pleasant scent of freshly cut grass.
Natural grass in the POWERgrass hybrid system prevents the risk of soil erosion due to sudden weather events causing flooding, as roots stabilize the sandy infill along with the hybrid carpet and subbase. Conversely, when a synthetic field floods, damages can be significant because, depending on infill type, a significant portion can be carried away by water flowing over the surface, and in some cases, the entire surface may rise, complicating and increasing repair costs.
POWERgrass maintenance is easy to perform and control because grass reacts immediately. This requires seriousness in field management and maintenance, offering the possibility of providing a positive environmental certification throughout the management period. Given this commitment, the manager does not risk having to replace the field at the end of the management period, as many agreements require, nor does the Municipality face managing an unusable field because the system does not require mandatory replacement. Indeed, seeding and some fertilization are enough to regenerate the field, making it operational and even better than before.
2025 POWERgrass S.r.l.
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