Recycling threat to FA’S 3G pitch plan

Major fears have emerged about the environmental toll of 3G pitches on generations to come, with a television documentary having revealed that there is no viable plan to recycle the huge numbers of surfaces the English Football Association is investing in heavily.

Dutch investigative programme

Zembla discovered two enormous dumps of worn-out plastic pitches on the sites of companies in Holland that were supposed to be recycling them. The English FA plans to build £200million of 3G pitches in 30 towns and cities over the next 10 years, despite concerns over the possible effect of crumb rubber, the 20,000 shredded tyres used on each pitch as infill.

The Telegraph has seen a tender put out on behalf of the FA, as well as the Rugby Football Union, England Hockey and Sport England in February 2016, to recycle 3G pitches in the UK which it is understood has not yet been awarded. The document says there is “a lack of a coherent approach for the recycling/ re-use of old artificial grass pitches” and that more than 150 will have to be replaced every year.

There is only one recycling plant in Europe that can break down and purify the different elements of 3G pitches, located in Denmark. The operator, Re-match, had hoped to build another plant in the UK but is yet to reach an agreement that would guarantee it the necessary supply of obsolete pitches to make the investment.

In a statement, the FA said: “The FA, as a partner with other sporting governing bodies, has a contract in place with chosen providers and contractors to ensure that it is a legal requirement for all 3G pitches to be disposed of responsibly. We also request written statements from them about how this is done.”

The FA is weighing up a £1 billion deal with Fulham owner Shahid Khan to sell Wembley Stadium, with the profits to be spent on grass-roots football, including the building of more 3G pitches.

As well as unproven links between rubber crumb and cancer, the

Zembla investigation has discovered a disturbing environmental impact of 3G pitches beyond their average 10-year sporting lifespan.

The investigation centred upon two Dutch companies who removed 3G pitches which were found to have no long-term recycling plan and were stockpiling pitches in conditions dangerous to workers and the environment.

One individual working in the recycling of 3G pitches in the UK, who asked not to be named, described it as a “massive issue” and said that in the next two decades the problem “will escalate beyond belief ”. “Most surfaces will have to be relaid in the next 10 to 15 years and there will have to be a home for them. You cannot begin to imagine how much.

“You will be able to fill Wembley Stadium [with artificial turf ].”