2020 Olympic Games: field hockey will be played on green plastic turf

Tokyo has set for itself the goal of organizing the first ever carbon-neutral Olympic Games in 2020 by adopting green technologies. Polytan, a leading supplier of world-class hockey fields and a global partner of the International Hockey Federation (FIH), is making an important contribution by developing the sustainable hockey turf Poligras Tokyo GT (an acronym for Green Technology), for which 60% of filaments adopt the renewable I’m greenTM polyethylene technology developed by Braskem, the largest petrochemical company in the Americas and the world’s leading biopolymer producer. Polytan is using green plastic to add a sustainable dimension to the outstanding playing properties of its tried-and-tested synthetic turf made from polyethylene monofilament fibers.

An elastic base layer ensures optimum absorption and is an important part of the entire hockey turf system. The Polytan PolyBase GT elastic layer gives the hockey turf an even better environmental balance. A high-performance binder, thanks to its low CO2 emissions, is used for the permanent elastic binding of the granules.

“FIH is delighted that this new turf technology will support Tokyo’s carbon-neutral vision and make a positive contribution to the Games. FIH has a strategic priority to improve hockey’s environmental footprint, which is why partnerships with progressive companies such as Polytan and Braskem are crucial. We are pleased to note that the surface that will be used in Tokyo requires 66% less water than surfaces used at previous Olympic Games. FIH believes that hockey can contribute to a more sustainable environment by making use of all the technological possibilities modern turf offers,” FIH CEO Thierry Weil stated.

“With the development of the Poligras Tokyo GT, we have succeeded not only in making a hockey pitch more sustainable, but also in significantly improving its performance. Never before has a hockey turf been more environmentally friendly or allowed such a dynamic and precise hockey game,” said Polytan Director Product Management Friedemann Söll.

“We are so proud that Polytan and the FIH have chosen Braskem’s I’m green™ polyethylene for the hockey fields for the 2020 Tokyo Games. The city has set for itself the goal of organizing the first carbon-neutral games, and we are happy that Braskem can make its contribution together with FIH and Polytan,” added Marco Jansen, commercial director at Braskem’s Renewable Chemicals Europe & North America division.

I’m green™ polyethylene is a plastic made from ethanol derived from sugarcane. It is a biobased raw material that, during its growth, captures carbon dioxide from the environment. The reason why Polytan has chosen this raw material for its artificial turf production is that the carbon footprint of I’m green™ polyethylene has a positive impact compared to fossil-based polyethylene. For every kilogram of green polyethylene used in fields for the Olympic Games, almost five kilograms of CO2 emissions will be avoided. And all this is being achieved without any compromise in turf quality.

About Polytan
Polytan has pursued the ideal of optimal performance since 1969. Always with an eye on the latest discoveries in the field of sports medicine, the specialist in outdoor sports surfaces is continually developing new synthetic sports surfaces and artificial turf systems. Its high-quality synthetic surfaces range from shock-absorbing fall-protection floors to multifunctional all-weather pitches and high-speed surfaces for international athletics events. In addition to its in-house development, manufacturing and installation of sports floors, Polytan’s range of services also includes lining, repairing, cleaning and maintaining third-party surfaces.