New artificial turf to be installed at Käpylä football field in Helsinki

A new type of artificial turf is set to be installed at the Käpylä football field in Helsinki this early autumn. This will be Helsinki’s first infill-free synthetic turf, which avoids the use of fillers like rubber or wood chips. Project coordinator Oleg Jauhonen explains that these new infill-free surfaces will be easier to recycle compared to the current synthetic turfs, which often require disposal as hazardous waste.

The new turf can be recycled alongside plastic waste due to its lack of sand, rubber, or multiple types of plastics, whereas existing turf can lead to significant environmental concerns following its disposal. Jauhonen notes that old synthetic turf mats have been repurposed in some applications, such as shooting ranges and golf courses.

The lifespan of synthetic turf typically requires replacement around every ten years, making this initiative crucial for reducing environmental impacts. Currently, Helsinki has a total of eighty artificial pitches, seventy percent of which utilize rubber infill, resulting in annual losses of up to five hundred kilograms of rubber from individual pitches.

Promising experiences from Belgium suggest that the playing feel of the new infill-free surfaces is quite positive, and they are expected to be suitable for youth games. However, their appropriateness for league matches will be evaluated later.

Additionally, due to upcoming EU regulations banning intentionally added microplastics from being introduced into the market, no new rubber-infilled fields will be allowed to be built after seven years. Jauhonen emphasizes the need for Helsinki to prepare for this significant upcoming change. Football Federation official Tero Auvinen highlights the importance of the extended transition period, which allows for the development of new playing materials to address the specific demands posed by Finland’s cold winters.