PreZero is taking a further step towards sustainability in the Bundesliga with fan shop bags made from the Allianz Arena grass clippings.
Neckarsulm, May 9, 2022. You can mow “Herzrasen”. You can pack “Herzrasen”. And all fans of the Allianz Arena can now even take “Herzrasen” home with them (“Herzrasen”: German campaign title, word combination of heart and grass, which is used in German for racing heart due to the feeling of joy). The Allianz Arena and their partner PreZero are giving what’s normally treated as waste a second life with this innovative and sustainable initiative. The initiative ensures that grass clippings that are normally thrown directly into the composting plant are reused and also that all moments that have taken place on the grass are transported directly into the hands of the fans. Grass paper bags with a special “Grass roots“ motive could already be seen at the game in Munich at the weekend, because from Thursday to May 29 they have been available with all purchases in the FC Bayern fan shops in the Allianz Arena will be given out for free from May 5 to 29 with every purchase from the FC Bayern fan shops. “Making the impossible suddenly possible: a piece of grass to take home. It is something special because there are so many memories and emotions embodied in this grass“, says Jürgen Muth, Managing Director at Allianz Arena. “I’m thrilled that we’re making this a reality jointly with our partners PreZero.“
On game days the greenkeepers trim the grass down to 21 millimeters. This results in approx. 2 tonnes of grass cuttings per month, which has to date been discarded. Part of the grass now gets a second life and up to 1.7 tonnes of grass paper is made from the cuttings. “We don’t see waste as waste, but as recyclables. And recyclables deserve a second life. With this resource-friendly mindset we develop innovative, sustainable solutions in conjunction with our partners – to close recycling loops as far as possible“, according to Thomas Kyriakis, CEO at PreZero. “It’s a fantastic project together with the Allianz Arena. We’re giving grass cuttings a new life and creating another piece of sustainability in the Bundesliga.“
“Herzrasen“ creates another positive effect in addition to paper production. Instead of 6000 liters of water per tonne as is used in conventional paper production, this procedure uses only 6 liters per tonne. This is a major boost for the Allianz Arena and PreZero’s ecological footprint.
The shared passion of fans, clubs and stadiums for sport and sustainability can now also be implemented and experienced in the Allianz Arena. Together we take the first step towards a cleaner tomorrow. Herzrasen – A piece of the Allianz Arena to go.
You can find more information on “Grass roots“ at: https://allianz-arena.com/de/die-arena/fakten-historie/grasprojekt
