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Sportfix®Clean against plastic pollution in water bodies
Artificial turf on sports fields provides an excellent playing surface. But use and drainage of this result in microplastics being flushed out into precipitation and surface waters. This is a challenge that Hauraton is overcoming with responsible environmental technology. The drainage specialist, based in the Baden region, has a safe and effective solution for filtering and retaining microplastic particles. In the Sportfix®Clean drainage system and channel filter with filter substrate Carbotec 60, particles down to the smallest size of 0.45 µm (0.00045 mm) are reliably removed by filtering.
With sports fields increasingly being equipped with artificial turf worldwide, this is highly relevant. The synthetic surfaces are very robust, require much less care than natural turf and offer higher quality standards for the safety of athletes. On modern surfaces, playing properties such as ball roll behaviour are very close to natural turf on sports pitches. The high useful life of around 1,700 hours per year compared to 400 to 800 hours for natural turf, a service life of at least ten years and greatly reduced maintenance effort are all benefits of artificial turf.
Mechanical wear creates tiny plastic particles
Artificial turf surfaces are a type of plastic carpet. When playing on the surfaces, the EPDM granulate (the material used for infilled artificial turf) and the synthetic grass fibres are exposed to repeated strain. The mechanical wear from higher tread loads - as created during football or rugby - causes tiny particles or blades of artificial grass to break off. This amounts to 250 to 300 kg per year for modern sports fields. These particles need to be prevented from entering the natural water cycle, and finally the food chain, via rainwater draining off the pitch. Research over the last few years has shown that microplastics, which are now present in large quantities in the world’s oceans, have also already entered our food chain. The health consequences are not yet known. In order to prevent water pollution, the plastic particles must be filtered out of the collected surface water before it is passed on.
Surface filtration retains the smallest particles
Sportfix®Clean channels offer a simple but extraordinarily simple solution. The channels do not only safely collect surface water flowing off the sports field contaminated with microplastics, but also larger microplastic parts transported to and collected along the edge of the pitch while playing. The water is collected and drained off in the channel run. At the same time, it is lead through the channel filter and filtered. The filter substrate used, Carbotec 60, is able to permanently retain the finest particles with sizes down to 0.45 µm.
Increased maintenance intervals offer the operator reliability
This channel filter functions according to the principle of surface filtration. It is therefore twice as effective: not only plastic parts are retained on the filter surface, but also pollutants such as heavy metals or hydrocarbons. The system has been proven to work reliably over very long periods. Long maintenance intervals and simple cleaning represent additional benefits. After many years of use, filter cake forms on the surface of the filter. This is stripped off during maintenance and then only the filter substrate that was removed is replenished.
Whether on a hockey field or football pitch – wherever artificial turf surfaces are used, drainage systems are also usually required. In addition to safe drainage, Sportfix®Clean channels also offer a simple way to filter the waste water and permanent retention of microplastics and pollutants. This economical filter system can also be installed at existing facilities.
Über die HAURATON GmbH & Co. KG
Hauraton is located in Rastatt, Germany, and has been operating successfully for 60 years. Today, Hauraton is one of the market leaders in the field of drainage and water management systems, with more than 20 branches worldwide and sales in more than 70 countries. Hauraton offers over 2,000 different products under the four headings Civils, Landscaping, Aqua and Sport with the range being continually extended. With the introduction of Recyfix recycled composite channels, the Side-Lock locking system and a detailed catalogue on the internet, Hauraton is considered the industry’s leading innovator. The reference list includes international projects such as the Formula 1 race track in Sochi, the Luzhniki-Stadium Moscow for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart and the Fraport Airport in Frankfurt.
To the website of HAURATON GmbH & Co. KG
Source: HAURATON GmbH & Co. KG / IAKS sb 2/2019
