The sustainable artificial turf developed by LIFE T4C
The fair Sports Summit Madrid 2026, held at Ifema between June 17 and 18, was the venue for the presentation of a new comprehensive solution for sustainable sports artificial turf without microplastics.
This is a project developed by the Spanish-German consortium LIFE T4C, funded by the European Union, which has become the alternative to old fields with SBR rubber infill, which must be progressively dismantled as established by the European Union in Regulation (EU) 2023/2055 of the Commission, dated September 25, 2023.
LIFE T4C Project at the Sports Summit Madrid 2026 fair – PHOTO/ESPAMA COMUNICACIÓN/G. LÓPEZ
Sustainable and recyclable
The new solution, which has already been successfully installed at the new football field Carlos III, recently inaugurated in Toledo, is based on an innovative technology that makes it the most sustainable artificial turf in the world, featuring an infill made from a recycled, recyclable, and non-polluting material called Ecolastene, developed by the Spanish company Green World Compounding, a member of the project.
This new alternative to artificial turf football fields containing microplastics has been developed, designed, and implemented by the companies involved in the LIFE T4C project. Besides the already mentioned GWC, the project also includes Igoid-UCLM, the host at Sports Summit Madrid 2026 and responsible for testing to certify that the artificial turf meets all safety and operational guarantees required to obtain the FIFA certification.
LIFE T4C Project at the Sports Summit Madrid 2026 fair – PHOTO/ESPAMA COMUNICACIÓN/G. LÓPEZ
The roster of LIFE project members is completed by the German companies Polytan, responsible for developing the artificial turf, and Hauraton, which has developed a special drainage system preventing particles from entering aquifers, along with the Spanish company Espama Comunicación.
Numerous visitors and representatives of organizations and institutions have approached the stand, interested in learning firsthand details about this new material.
LIFE T4C Project at the Sports Summit Madrid 2026 fair – PHOTO/ESPAMA COMUNICACIÓN/G. LÓPEZ
The sustainable artificial turf developed by LIFE T4C
The alternative developed by the group of companies forming the LIFE T4C consortium is based on Ecolastene, a product developed by the company Green World Compounding (GWC), headquartered in Alhama (Murcia), which offers multiple advantages:
Recycled and recyclable, with a low carbon footprint.
Safe and free of toxic substances.
Innovative design, which prevents the material from leaving the playing field.
Lightweight and ultra-elastic, offering high performance with a low amount.
Easy to install and compatible with any type of turf.
Certified by international sports organizations such as FIFA.
In addition, Ecolastene is monitored and has a passport that guarantees its traceability, meaning that at the end of its useful life it is collected and recycled, being certifiable that there have been no losses and that the material has not been released into the environment.
LIFE T4C Project at the Sports Summit Madrid 2026 fair – PHOTO/ESPAMA COMUNICACIÓN/G. LÓPEZ
This new solution created by GWC represents a new life for artificial turf sports fields, a surface that is today essential for sports practice, as replacing them with natural grass fields is unfeasible due to the high maintenance required, high water consumption, and limited weekly hours of use.
Furthermore, the companies integrated in the LIFE T4C project are developing new infills that ensure that the fields remain cooler, which would further reduce water needs.