The artificial turf of the future comes from Aachen

When new sports areas are built, artificial grass is, more than ever, the surface of choice - because it is very easy to maintain and can be played on regardless of the weather. However, artificial grass in its proven form also has the downside that the plastic for the fibres and base (an elastic support layer and stabilizing backing layer) is made from fossil materials and requires a so-called infill - usually made from plastic granulate (sometimes also from an element of organic material or sand) - which spreads everywhere in our natural environment as microplastics.

By 2031 at the latest, new artificial grass pitches will come to an end due to the ban on synthetic granulate. This is where the scientists at the ITA and the TFI Institute for Soil Systems at RWTH Aachen University come into play. Together with the company Morton Extrusionstechnik (MET), they have created BioTurf, a sustainable alternative. BioTurf is an artificial grass system made from bio-based polymers and, for the first time, does not require any infill material at all.

What is important for soccer players: the surface can be played on like any other, whether running, passing or shooting, there are no differences. At the University Sports Center (HSZ), where Morton Extrusionstechnik has installed a cage soccer pitch with BioTurf, the result of the research project can already be seen and experienced today. "It's a great story that we can use the university's research directly here at the HSZ and thus make a contribution to the university's sustainability strategy," reports Ramon Marställer, Head of Press and Public Relations at the HSZ. The demand for cage soccer is enormous and the new pitch is extremely popular. "It's a perfect fit," he emphasizes.

With BioTurf from Aachen, an environmentally friendly and playable alternative is already available today. The soccer of the future can - and must - become more sustainable with this Aachen development.