The group was set up to ensure German sports facilities operate in an environmentally-friendly way. 

In its first meeting, it agreed that easy-to-implement measures for sports clubs and municipalities to reduce plastic use should be communicated as quickly as possible. 

It also noted an urgent need for further scientific expertise on the practical suitability of alternative organic fillers and on the suitability of synthetic turf surfaces for all types of sports, even without fillers.

The working group discussed a proposal submitted by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) to the European Commission in March, which aims to limit the use of products deliberately added to microplastics. 

In particular, ECHA had proposed to prohibit the sale of plastic granules for use in synthetic-grass systems.

The group decided that six years would be needed before this ban was enforced to allow for the renovation of more than 6,000 synthetic grass pitches in Germany while sporting activities were still taking place.

Due to a lack of reliable data, the group could not estimate exactly how many sports facilities would be affected by a possible ban.

Subsequently, it called for a nationwide report on sports facilities.