Over the last three years, there have been significant changes in environmental regulations affecting playgrounds, following growing concerns about player safety, pollution and general health. These new regulations have had a significant impact on the criteria for choosing between the different types of playgrounds available on the market. In particular, this has led to a change in the types of playing fields chosen by sports associations.
Previously, choices were often made based on the need for a sports field that was more usable and had low maintenance costs, which indicated a strong preference for synthetic grass fields with sand infill and shredded granules from post-consumer tyres. However, despite their popularity, these courses have raised concerns about the safety of players, environmental pollution and the health of citizens.
To date, the trend is in the direction of natural grass fields. However, limited usability and higher maintenance costs are factors that can negatively influence this choice.
The new environmental rules are also reflected in the procurement code, which imposes mandatory environmental and social objectives. The principle of result was also introduced, thus requiring the provision of evidence of effectiveness of the cost/benefit relationship throughout the entire life cycle of the work. This means you now need to consider the maintenance and end-of-life costs for removing, recycling or disposing of the system. Furthermore, a constant monitoring and reporting system is required, to measure results and potentially certify the environmental impact.
The goal of these changes is to promote more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices in the sports industry. However, it will take time to see how these changes will affect the choices made by sports associations and the industry in general. It is likely that we will need innovations in the field of playground maintenance and new solutions to balance costs, sustainability and practicality.
Insights
FAQ 12
Environmental regulations and the field
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