A plan to build a synthetic football pitch in Useldange has sparked environmental concerns among local residents, who fear microplastic pollution and increased flood risk due to the field's proximity to the Attert river.
The existing training pitch lies directly beside the Attert river and is frequently flooded. Experts argue that an artificial turf would be much easier to maintain.
However, opponents warn that such surfaces release plastic particles into the waterway, contributing to environmental pollution. A group of local residents is now pushing back against the municipal plans, calling for an alternative solution.
Sandra Galassi, a resident of Useldange whose home backs onto the proposed site, draws a comparison with the pitch in Schieren, which also suffers from flooding. As the water recedes, plastic and debris are carried into the ecosystem. The pitch in Schieren is visibly deteriorating, shedding fibres.
Both polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) are used in such pitches, which is exactly why Galassi is opposed to the project: she fears that microplastics and traces of chemical treatments will leach into the water and local environment.
Schieren floods frequently, and so does the village where she lives. The Useldange pitch is currently natural, more swamp than field, and hardly suitable for quality football.
Neighbours worry that sealing the ground surface could increase the risk of further flooding. While some might dismiss these concerns as classic NIMBYism (editor's note: 'Not in my backyard' – opposition by residents to local development projects), the issue is more nuanced. Although upcoming EU rules on microplastics will, from 2031, only ban rubber granules, not artificial grass itself, the environmental risks remain.
According to Mayor Pollo Bollem, the proposed pitch would be of a new generation, reportedly without synthetic fibres. He added that even if there were any, the manufacturer claims they could be vacuumed up. The pitch would not be built on backfill, Bollem said, but rather in a specially dug 89 cm deep basin alongside the Attert to help control water flow.
Claude Metz from the local football club Jeunesse Useldange explained that around 130 children currently train on the pitch three times a week, along with 30 senior players. The main pitch, which is more expensive to maintain, is not at risk of being destroyed thoughtlessly, he emphasised. In this regard, Bollem stated that supporting young people remains a priority.
Galassi is not opposed to children playing sports or football, far from it. But she continues to raise awareness among fellow residents and hopes the municipality will consider an alternative. Bollem confirmed that the municipality has already purchased a plot of land on higher ground near the school, though he noted that this was not intended for a football pitch.
The entire municipal council, including all political parties, has voted in favour of the artificial pitch, which is expected to cost €3 million.
It is not the Environment Agency but the Water Management Agency that will have the final say in this matter. According to officials, the case is currently under review. No further details have been shared, but a decision on the synthetic football pitch in this flood-prone area of Useldange is expected to take several more months.
