Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what research her Department has undertaken into the environmental effect of the spread of rubber granules from artificial grass playing fields.

Sport England is working with partners including the Sport and Play Construction Association (SAPCA), British Standards Institute (BSI), Institute of Groundsmanship and the NGBs to update guidance on artificial surfaces (Artificial Surfaces for Outdoor Sports) to include recommended measures to help minimise the environmental impact of rubber crumb microplastics. We expect the updated guidance to be published this year.

My department has not commissioned research into the environmental effect of the spread of rubber granules from artificial grass playing fields.