Current status: Answered by Maree Todd on 8 May 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will conduct an assessment of any environmental impact of replacing grass pitches with artificial turf pitches that includes a full life-cycle assessment of the manufacture, use and disposal of artificial turf pitches and crumb rubber from playgrounds.
We will give full consideration to new research in this area, and we are supportive of efforts to examine evidence on the wider impacts of microplastics which will be material to helping shape any future regulation.
sport scotland are following the study being conducted in the UK to measure the migration of micro plastics from pitches with the mitigation measures in place as per the CEN code of practice. This will conclude in 2025.