As Super Bowl 2014 approaches, the Seahawks and the Broncos aren’t the only things in the news. New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium is also getting some attention for a new field that is making its biggest debut yet with Sunday’s football game.
Until recently, the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ had a traditional soil and grass field that was used for a variety of events, including many NFL games and practices, soccer games, concerts, monster truck events, and more. While a grass field is the more traditional option for jumbo stadiums, they also require a lot of maintenance. To keep the grass in tip top shape, a lot of watering is required, as well as fertilizer and pesticides to keep grass green and weeds away.
In addition to being high maintenance, a traditional grass field can also pose some problems in terms of allowing athletes to perform to the best of their abilities, especially in adverse weather conditions. Heavy rains can lead to a muddy field, which can interfere with the quality of play. In freezing conditions like those likely to occur on Super Bowl Sunday, athletes not only risk compromised play but also a greater chance of injury because the ground will be harder than usual.
A Better Option
Considering the extended use the MetLife Stadium field gets each year, the executive decision was made to switch over to synthetic turf. To install synthetic turf, an extensive sub-drainage system was installed along with a compact base, finish stone, and a crumb rubber/sand mixture used as a filler for the turf.
In its completed state, a synthetic turf field reduces maintenance costs by eliminating the need for watering, mowing, and the use of fertilizer and pesticides. Turf fields also remain intact even in the event of heavy rains or freezing weather, giving athletes a safe and consistent playing surface.
Helping the Environment
To complete the new field for the MetLife stadium, approximately 200 tons of recycled crumb rubber was used (according to a fact sheet published by UBU Sports). 200 tons of crumb rubber equals about 36,504 tires, or enough for 9,126 cars. This is an enormous amount of tires that is being used productively instead of taking up excessive space in a landfill. It’s a true win-win situation.
Synthetic turf fields are just one of the hundreds of uses that have been found for crumb rubber. Here at Eco Green Equipment, we specialize in designing and manufacturing equipment that easily and cost-effectively recycles tires, so they can be used in hundreds of different eco-friendly applications. We’re committed to reducing the stockpiling of scrap tires around the world in landfills and illegal dumping sites that harm the environment. Browse through our site to learn more about our mission.