Tackling health concerns surrounding SBR artificial pitch infill

The world-leading manufacturer of infill for artificial sports pitches has changed the face of the industry by developing a product that eliminates any risk to the health of players and the wider environment.

PRO-gran – launched in November last year – was developed by Murfitts Industries to answer the growing perception of risks to health and the environment from black rubber crumb artificial turf infill.

Founder and Managing Director Mark Murfitt said:

“Although the consensus of the studies about black rubber crumb is that it causes no significant risk to health or the environment, we wanted people to enjoy participating in sport without worrying about the playing surface.”

“A year of research and development later we offer a product that not only eliminates any concern about player or public health, but also creates a more enjoyable playing experience.”

PRO-gran is a Polymeric Infill that is engineered to offer the very best in performance and is safe for players and the environment. The infill combines the exceptional dynamic properties of rubber which is then coated in polyurethane to make it 100% safe.

PRO-gran has been through a rigorous testing programme. Exceeding the EU’s toughest standards that are applied to consumer goods, the infill is safe for people and the environment. It releases no heavy metals, PAHs (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons) or micro plastics.

With a consistency of play, lower surface temperatures, no aroma and no airborne particulates, PRO-gran gives an unbeatable playing experience. In addition, it is much longer lasting – tests show that it will remain in perfect condition for over 10 years, well beyond the lifetime of a typical pitch.

PRO-gran also improves the look of the pitch for spectators. Not only does the infill reduce splash, but it also comes in green and brown, so the pitch always has the appearance of a well-maintained surface.

Scott Griffin, Club Secretary, from UK Football Club Cirencester Town said “We didn’t expect the crumb on the new pitch to be anything special, but it’s amazing! The players love that they can control the ball as there’s a consistency, no dust and hardly any splashing. It’s great as we are very keen to make sure the pitch is safe and healthy to play on now and for the future. Because of PRO-gran, everyone involved with the club has peace of mind.”

Mr Murfitt added “We have been overwhelmed by the global response to PRO-gran since we launched the infill six-months ago. Not only do we have enquiries in from around the world, but we have already installed a number of pitches. The next PRO-gran pitch to go live is SV Loosdrecht, in the Netherlands, where health and environmental concerns continue to surround SBR and clubs are seeking alternative infills that have been tested to ensure they are completely safe.”

Sujit Tavkar, General Manager of Raymond Sport says, “As the popularity of Synthetic Sports pitches for Schools and Educational Institutes grows, so does the concerns of the system having a negative health impact on players, environment and community. Raymond Sport are proud to have partnered with Murfitt Industries, UK in their endeavor to provide a Safe & Environmentally Friendly infill that particularly for this region has the added beneficial quality of reduced surface temperatures of Sports Pitches.

To find out more about PRO-gran and to download the technical information and test data visit murfittsindustries.com.