World premiere: first climate-neutral synthetic hockey turf installed
HOCKEY GOES FULL CIRCLE
- 80% biobased material (sugarcane)
- Made with green energy
- Features a new backing for better CO2 balance
- Less water
- Highly durable
- Available globally
POLIGRAS PARIS GT ZERO
A NEW MILESTONE IN POLYTAN'S GREEN TECHNOLOGY
Poligras Paris GT zero marks the next logical step in the development of Polytan’s sustainable Green Technology (GT), which start with Poligras Tokyo GT and is now used on hockey pitches worldwide. In the manufacture of the turf fibres, fossil-fuel-based polyethylene is replaced with organically based polyethylene. The I’m Green™ polyethylene is an organic plastic made by Braskem, the world’s largest producer of organically based polyethylene. The material for our carbon-neutral hockey turf is manufactured using a by-product of sugar cane processing in Brazil. In the production process for I’m Green™ polyethylene, the first two pressings of the sugar cane are used for sugar production. The third – which is no longer useful for this purpose – is then used as a raw material for organic polyethylene, which makes up approx. 80% of Poligras Paris GT zero.
To achieve carbon-neutral production of organic plastics, the bagasse – a by-product of sugar cane pressing – is used to generate heat and energy in a bioenergy plant. The Poligras Paris GT zero turf is manufactured using 100% green energy in Grefrath, in the Lower Rhine region of Germany.
LESS WATER CONSUMPTION, THANKS TO TURF GLIDE
A SUCCESSFUL STARTING SHOT
In October 2022, Polytan installed its first Poligras Paris GT zero hockey turf at the renowned Hamburger Polo Club e.V., whose men’s team plays in the 1st Bundesliga. “It’s a big advantage for our international players to train on the pitch”, explains Matthias Witthaus, Coach, Hamburger Polo Club.
With over 50 installations, Poligras Tokyo GT has already been a great success in all the big hockey countries. This indicates that hockey is on the road to sustainability. The new turf will help Paris to meet its self-declared environmental goals and make hockey a frontrunner when it comes to sustainability efforts in sport.
By the way: both the men’s and women’s competition for the Olympic hockey tournament in Paris will be played at the Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir. It goes without saying that all hockey matches will be played on our new Poligras Paris GT zero. Our hockey turf systems will also be used on the path to Olympic glory: for example, at the EuroHockey Championships in the summer of 2023 at the SparkassenPark Mönchengladbach. The winners of the European championships will automatically qualify for Paris. The championships will be played on Poligras Tokyo GT, the predecessor of our new Olympic turf.
DURABILITY AND RECYCLING
Because the lifespan of a product has a huge influence on the climate and the environment, Poligras Paris GT zero is extremely durable and retains its excellent performance, even with intensive, year-round use. For example, the fibres are equipped with effective protection against UV radiation and wear, so that the hockey turf can withstand even the most extreme climates in countries such as Australia and India.
And our support does not end with the useful life of the turf: together with FormaTurf GmbH, another subsidiary of Sport Group Holding GmbH, we offer a recycling solution in which up to 100% of a worn-out synthetic turf is recycled. For this purpose, we have constructed a state-of-the-art plant in Essen, which recycles old turf as part of a circular economy – including the back pitch, filaments and infill. Lastly, the turf carpet and rubber granules are processed into new plastic products.
