Summary: A small paintball club in Sør-Odal has been ordered to remove 70 tonnes of old artificial grass mats, a job that costs NOK 300,000. The environmental organization Plastpiratene believes that these mats pollute Norway’s largest river, the Glomma. The club, which has 25 members, got the mats for free with plans to use them for a paintball field, but the project was put on hold. The mayor acknowledges that the matter is a dilemma. The club has little finances and he does not want to drive it into bankruptcy. The club manager expresses frustration at the lack of support schemes for the removal of old artificial grass. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – You can be both sad and angry when you see this here, says Robert Tollefsen of the environmental organization Plastpiratene. Tollefsen climbs onto piles of plastic mats that were previously used on football pitches. The organization believes this must be 70 tonnes of environmentally hazardous waste, which is now lying strewn in the forest in Sør-Odal in the interior. The local paintball club was given the opportunity to take over old grass mats from football pitches for free. EXPENSIVE GIFT: The artificial grass mats became an expensive affair for the small paintball club. Photo: Frode Meskau / news But – the project to use this for a paintball field was put on hold. Then the joy quickly turned to despair. The small club with 25 members has been required to remove the mats and deliver them for waste treatment. Price tag: NOK 300,000. – If we have to do this, we will no longer exist as a club, says Carina Resve Karterud in Glåmdalen Paintball Club. Carina Resve Karterud in Glåmdalen Paintball Club. Photo: Frode Meskau / news Large environmental spill We have around 2,000 football pitches with artificial grass in this country. Approximately 6 percent of the rubber granules end up outside the pitches each year. It is estimated that rubber granules, artificial grass and other fall surfaces lead to an annual release of microplastics of approximately 6,000 tonnes, according to the Norwegian Environment Agency. In April last year, the EU decided to ban added microplastics in, among other things, artificial grass. The plastic pirates believe the mats emit particles and microplastics, which eventually end up in Glomma. GLOMMA: The club’s course is close to Norway’s longest river. The plastic pirates look worried at the pollution that can flow out of Glomma. Tollefsen points to the worn mats. – Look how messy this is, it comes loose all the time, and the particles fly away with wind, rain and snow. – Eventually this ends up in Glomma and pollutes the water. There are microplastics and toxins. This is clear environmental crime, says Tollefsen. Robert Tollefsen hopes the matter will soon be resolved. Photo: Frode Meskau / news Kinky case in the municipality The case has been in local politics for many years. The municipality owns the land, but the paintball club is responsible for the mats, which they own. The municipality has previously indicated that, as a pollution authority, it is obliged to supervise and impose measures in cases that fall under Chapter 5 of the Pollution Act, according to Glåmdalen. Mayor Knut Hvithammer (Ap) agrees that the whole matter is a real dilemma. – We are clear that polluters must pay. Mayor Knut Hvithammer in Sør-Odal. Photo: Reidar Gregersen / news At the same time, he emphasizes that he does not want to drive the club into bankruptcy. – It is a small club with small finances. There is probably no money to be had, he says. – We have to find solutions here so that the club survives and we get rid of this artificial grass. – I will manage what Carina Resve Karterud says with regret that there are few support schemes for the removal of old artificial grass. – It doesn’t seem like there is any place where we can apply. It is difficult to find in the application system. Drone image of the artificial grass mats in the forest in Sør-Odal. Photo: Frode Meskau / news She says she has not given up. – I will manage it, no matter how long I have this position. The artificial grass must go. Published 26/09/2024, at 21.27 Updated 26.09.2024, at 23.27
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