Super Bowl success for the Ravens – and recycling

United States – Recycling played its part in this year’s Super Bowl, the American Football extravaganza. The synthetic turf installed at The Mercedes-Benz Super Dome in New Orleans was created with the help of recycled materials derived from end-of-life tyres.

‘There is 9000 miles of fibre on that field, equalling half a million pounds of recycled rubber,’ states Brad Morrison, the owner of its designer, the Ohio-based Maumee Bay Turf Center. Comprised of around 30 000 ground-up and cleaned car tyres, the field took a dozen crew members three weeks to put together, he adds.

Following last Sunday’s victory by the Baltimore Ravens over the San Francisco 49ers, the synthetic pitch – which boasts a lifespan of typically between eight and 10 years – will be donated to the New Orleans Development Foundation, a charity that supports inner-city children.

Incorporating a recycled component into the field of play was one of various ways that New Orleans attempted to set a new mark in environmental sustainability when hosting the Super Bowl for the ninth time. As a result of the post-Katrina US$ 336 million restoration programme, the stadium is now equipped with many energy-saving features, such as 26 000 LED lights which consume only 10 kW of electricity – the same as a small home.

For more information, visit: www.maumeebaylandscape.com

Source: 13ABC.com