CEN Technical Report 17519, released in July 2020, recommends risk management methods to contain infill within the perimeter of a synthetic turf field. The options described are based on examples of best practice identified by members of CEN/TC 217. The RMMs are applicable to all sorts of synthetic turf sports surfaces, from those used for community activities to those used by professional and elite level athletes.
Usage of a shock pad
Drafted by the European Standards Committee (CEN / TC 217) this report explicitly refers to fields with a lower pile height carpet on top of a shock pad as a solution to reduce microplastics pollution from infill.
“Alternative surfacing systems incorporate shock pads, these obtain some, if not most, of their impact attenuation properties from the shock pad, meaning they can have lower pile heights and lower quantities of performance infill. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the reduced infill quantities results in surfaces these are less likely to suffer from infill migration.”
Modern lower pile height carpets with infill, as well as the latest generation synthetic turf carpets without any infill, the so called non-filled systems, cannot do without a shock pad to achieve the required impact attenuation.
Accepted by sports federations
The results of the CEN / TR 17519 working group have become the reference for the major sports federations:
FIFA
World Rugby
FIH
The Rugby Football League
The Gaelic Athletics Association
On page 81 of the FIFA Handbook of test methods [http://fifa.fans/2OxlBTQ] you can find an overview of the solution FIFA and these other sports governing bodies endorse.
We are happy to support your project
If you need further information about the contributions a shock pad can make or the CEN working group that studied solutions to reduce infill migration, please contact us.
Based on CEN Technical Report 17519, the EMEA Synthetic Turf Council has produced a poster that illustrates 10 key points to maximise infill containment on third-generation synthetic turf fields. As a member of ESTC, we gladly share this poster with you.
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