Recycle Your Old Synthetic Turf Field with Motz

When turf fields break down and get replaced, there’s lots of material leftover from the old field. In an effort to move the turf industry toward a more sustainable future, Motz has a gameplan for giving old turf a second life and helping the environment while we do it. 

Motz is working in partnership with Shaw Sports Turf, a division of Shaw Industries, to offer an environmentally friendly process for the entire turf system lifecycle.

The average synthetic turf field lasts about 10 years. Some will last longer and others will deteriorate faster depending on the use and maintenance of the field. Proper care and upkeep will extend a field’s life and minimize the amount of money and resources needed for serious repairs.

When the day finally arrives to get a new field, however, what should you do with the old one?

Advancing Sustainability For Artificial Turf Sports Fields

According to industry estimates, roughly 900-1,000 fields are replaced throughout the country annually. Each field requires the disposal of approximately 500,000 pounds (250 tons) of material, offering some perspective on the sheer scale of the waste generated per field. 

At Motz, we’re dedicated to creating innovative solutions that minimize the environmental impact of each turf field replacement and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. This goal requires a coordinated effort within the synthetic turf industry to tackle the waste problem at the national scale. 

We’re excited to partner with Shaw Sports Turf to lead the industry in making recycled synthetic turf a success.

A Turnkey Solution for Greener Synthetic Turf Sports Fields

Let’s get specific about the process of recycling an old turf field and reducing the environmental harm of discarded synthetic materials. 

First, an evaluation is required for each field that’s slated for replacement. Next, we bring proprietary removal equipment onsite that’s designed to efficiently extract and separate materials. The equipment is specifically designed to remove turf infill from fields in a way that preserves the base and separates the infill from the turf. The existing infill can be reused and/or incorporated into the stone base via a patent-pending process to increase drainage rates. For a more comprehensively sustainable infill solution, choose Envirofill, which is a 100% reusable turf infill, or Safeshell, a completely organic turf infill.

See the process in action below.

How Are Old Turf Fields Recycled?

Recycling old turf fields is an opportunity to turn the material into shock pads for new fields. Shaw Sports Turf provides this service through their product NXTPlay.

NXTPlay shock pads are built to promote safety and ease of play for athletes. The pads are installed under the synthetic turf, providing more shock absorption and a softer landing. 

When the turf is separated from the other field components onsite, it is sent back to a facility that’s owned and operated by Shaw Sports Turf in Dalton, GA. Shaw’s facility processes the used turf material into new shock absorption pads which can then be installed under fields.

The turf fibers and woven backing are processed into smaller pieces with a binder. The binder is then used in a proprietary formulation to create the new shock pad containing approximately 50% recycled turf content and 80% total recycled content. 

This new pad is a Cradle to Cradle certified productTM, meaning that the raw materials have been assessed to avoid the use of harmful chemicals and the product can be safely recycled into a new product at the end of its useful life. 

Thankfully, going green is also budget-friendly. Turf recycling for shock absorption pad creation can be accomplished for about $0.10 per square foot.

A chain of custody ensures that the material leaves the field and arrives at the correct destination. Motz is able to provide a chain of custody from the field of origin to the Shaw Sports Turf processing facility. From there, the material is blended with material from other fields to create the NXTPlay performance shock pad.

Learn more about NXTPlay. 

Measuring the Impact of Recycled Synthetic Turf

One field of turf represents about 20 tons of plastic material. According to Waste Management, one ton of recycled plastic saves 16.3 gallons of oil. Therefore, one recycled synthetic turf field saves 326 gallons of oil. 

Responsibly handling artificial turf field recycling and replacement relies on a well-coordinated response from many crucial players, including field owners, designers, contractors, and manufacturers. 

Together, Shaw and Motz are proud to offer field owners a complete, turnkey service for turf field recycling that’s economical and environmentally responsible.

Contact Motz to learn more about turf recycling.

Learn more about Motz’s suggested specifications

The Synthetic Turf System Vendor shall have the capability to remove, reclaim and recycle the synthetic turf system at the end of its useful life. The Synthetic Turf System Vendor must provide documentation outlining their product lifetime recycle/reuse program that is currently in place.  A minimum of 5 fields must have been used in this process.  All materials must demonstrate the capability to reuse in a product that employs a cradle-to-cradle design. Reuse or other diversion plans that do not include the production of a new and useful product will not be considered.