From Waste to Fertilizer: How Sports Arenas Can Embrace Circularity
With every sports event, there is a lot of food waste generated that goes into landfill and contributes to environmental pollution. This is unsustainable and extremely harmful to the environment. Fortunately, circularity can solve multiple problems for sports arenas and reduce the arena’s environmental impact at the same time! Circular systems ensure that the resources we use are recycled and reused as much as possible. This blog explores the idea of circularity in sports arenas where composted food waste provides fertilizer for a healthy sports field.
Circularity
The concept of circularity represents an alternative to the way we’ve been managing waste for decades. The traditional linear system is no longer viable as it brings forth unwanted waste generation. Instead, circularity provides a more regenerative approach that promotes sustainability and resource conservation while minimizing waste generation. See the graphic to the right for a visual representation of a linear economy and a circular economy.
Composting
Composting food waste is one of those circular systems that have caught the attention of sports arena operators. When food waste is put in a landfill, it generates methane, a remarkably powerful greenhouse gas. However, when food waste is composted properly, it doesn’t generate methane and it generates a nutrient-dense fertilizer. This is a natural and eco-friendly way to manage food waste and transforms it into a valuable resource that can be used to nourish the soil both on and off the field. Composting offers a way to tap into nature’s nutrient cycle conducive to reducing waste and enhancing soil productivity.
Sports arenas generate an enormous amount of food waste that goes to landfill, rotting for years to come, causing air and environmental pollution, harming wildlife, and contributing to climate change. According to the World Resources Institute, if food loss and waste were a country, it would be the 3rd largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions! Food waste also attracts vermin and pests, not to mention the offensive smell it creates. However, through composting, all this waste can become a valuable resource that could help reduce landfill contributions toward a healthier environment.
Composting requires some setup and investment, and sports arena owners must be ready to incur initial charges, but the benefits it brings about are worth it. By composting food waste, sports arenas will lessen their waste contribution towards environmental pollution, saving space in the landfill. Moreover, composting will reduce the cost of waste disposal, and add value to the soil as it serves as an organic fertilizer.
Artificial Turf
When considering the possibility of incorporating compost into field care, the first question to pop up will inevitably be: what type of field are we talking about? Many stadiums in the US use artificial turf, first implemented in Houston, Texas at the Astrodome - which is where the commonly used term “astroturf” comes from. Artificial turf is primarily made of polyethylene (plastic) that is sourced from fossil fuels, and recycled rubber tires. Many sources claim that the lifespan of artificial turf on a lawn is 15-25 years. This is not necessarily the case on sports fields where the turf is subject to regular heavy usage. In a sports context, these turfs may only last 6-8 years. This raises questions about the disposal of artificial fields at the end of their life.
There are also health issues with utilizing artificial turf on a sports field. Not only do athletes generally prefer playing on natural grass fields, but the composition of artificial turf may also have health consequences for athletes playing on it for extended periods of time. Some evidence suggests that athletes who play on artificial turf experience increased instances of blood cancer and MRSA in young athletes. There is also evidence that artificial turf can lead to increased rates of lower-body injuries, even during non-contact play. In fact, as many as 89.7% of NFL players believe that the regular use of artificial turf may shorten their careers!
Building a Healthy and Natural Sports Field
Healthy soil is critical to maintaining a healthy sports field. Soil provides a habitat for microorganisms and plant roots, allowing them to take in nutrients, water, and air, contributing to a lush field. Composting food waste enhances the soil structure, provides essential nutrients to the grass, increases water retention capacity, and promotes aeration and microbial activity in the soil. These qualities improve plant growth and reduce the cost of maintenance, making it a win-win for the environment and the sports arena operators.
Composting food waste enhances soil organic matter, enabling it to hold moisture for longer, promoting deeper root growth, and providing essential nutrients to the grass deep within the soil. The composted food waste could be used to amend the soil of the sports arena, increasing the soil’s ability to retain water and nutrients, reducing demand for fertilizers and water, and consequently reducing the carbon footprint.
Circularity brings forth a regenerative approach to managing food waste. Composting food waste generates compost, which in turn is used to fertilize and nourish soil, promoting the growth and development of lush green landscapes. By embracing circularity practices, sports arena operators can reduce their waste costs, protect the environment, conserve the health of their field, and create a healthier environment.
