Zero Microplastics: Artificial Turf(EN)

Say NO to artificial turf!

Do we really need to carpet our sports centres, music festivals or playgrounds with green plastic?

Artificial turf breaks down due to wear and tear and generates tiny green filaments that end up in our rivers and seas.

These microplastics pollute our waters, affecting biodiversity and causing health problems for citizens.

Sampling carried out near Barcelona city revealed very high concentrations of artificial turf fibres in our waters. We found as many as 213,000 fibres per square kilometre.

Did you know that...?

- Between 1200 and 1400 artificial turf pitches are fitted every year in Europe.

- We use 4500 litres of water to produce just one square meter of artificial turf.

- Artificial turf pollutes our ecosystems, it reduces biodiversity, retains heat and prevents the land from absorbing rainwater. Real grass is the most sustainable, eco-friendly option.

A project by
Marine Geosciences research group - University of Barcelona (UB)

The Spanish delegation of Surfrider Foundation Europe and its volunteers in Barcelona

Communication partner
Asensio Comunicació Visual

Surfing for Science is a pioneering initiative to assess the level of microplastic pollution in shoreline waters. Citizens participate in the project by collecting scientific samples whilst paddle surfing. The final objective is twofold: knowing how much and what type of microplastics are present in coastline waters will help us find solutions to reduce their impact; we would also hope that society becomes more scientifically aware of the problems that plastic pollution generates.