The EU has now adopted a ban on microplastics on artificial grass pitches. It is an important decision that benefits the health of the players and the environment. This is the message from Lone Mikkelsen, senior advisor at the Green Transition Denmark.

"This ban will mean that players, both children and adults, will not have to be exposed to the harmful chemicals from the microplastics in the future. Old shredded car tires have been used interchangeably as filling material on artificial grass pitches, but the EU is now putting an end to this. So it is an important decision for both the players' health and the environment," she says.

Until recently, the message from the Danish government was that Denmark would not support a ban on microplastics on artificial grass pitches for reasons of association life. But today the government voted in favor anyway.

"It is gratifying that the Danish government ended up voting in favor of the EU Commission's proposal for a ban on the use of microplastics on artificial grass pitches, thereby helping to ensure that the ban became a reality," says Lone Mikkelsen.

However, it will not be a ban that will apply immediately. But we encourage a quick implementation.

"We will have to wait a number of years before the ban actually comes into force. Unfortunately, Denmark's original opposition to the ban helped to extend the transition period, so we now have to wait eight years before the microplastics on the pitches are actually phased out. However, great praise must go to the Danish municipalities, who have already made a decision to take the lead and thus only build new artificial grass pitches with infill other than microplastics," says Lone Mikkelsen.