Fake Ice Rinks No Longer Just A Fad
by April Streeter, Gothenburg, Sweden 
on 03. 6.08
Ice hockey and ice skating are both hallowed Scandinavian traditions - but the southern portions of Denmark and Sweden and even Norway can no longer depend on the sub-zero temperatures needed for outdoor rinks, so plastic ice rinks - both temporary and permanent rinks - are popping up all over. Though the plastic "ice" - made of a thin layer of polyethylene coated with propylene glycol - can be a bit slower for speedy skaters, and more expensive to first install, Scandinavians are turning to them to lower both ice rink upkeep costs and CO2 emissions - distributor Ice Magic claims they are also "100% recyclable." At the science amusement park called Danfoss Universe near Nordborg, Denmark, park managers calculated the energy for a few days upkeep of the 640 square meter rink they were planning amounted to about the same as a Danish family of four's annual home energy consumption and accompanying CO2 emissions. Via ::Copenhagen Post
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What happens when you dig your toe picks into that I wonder? OR do they just ban skates with toe picks and make you use rentals? :(
I wonder if it needs resurfaced over time? Has anyone actually tried skating on this?
patfur- I see you must be from Pittsburgh because you didn't say "I wonder if it needs TO BE resurfaced over time"
When the Scandanivian nations no longer get enough cold weather to produce ice, shouldn't these ice rinks be held up as perfect examples of the effects of global warming?
The Alps can no longer be relied upon to produce snow for skiiing/boarding in winter, either.
Why are they so many dissenters to global warming? Can't they see what's right in front of their eyes?
Steve N Lee
author of eco-blog www.LionsledbySheep.com
and eco-suspense thriller 'What if...?'
I hear skating on lakes or ponds is more sustainable. Plus endorphins released from pondering the possibility of the ice shattering beneath you at any moment give skating a beautifully reinforcing effect over time.
How can I get in contact with the manufacturers of artificial / plastic ice rinks. I live in Africa where it is to hot (and getting warmer) for normal ice rinks. It is also to expensive to operate. Our people love sport and I want to open ice rinks in Cities, town and even remote places where people who have never seen snow in their lives will have the oppotunity to ice skate. Can somebody help me with relevant information
How can I get in contact with the manufacturers of artificial / plastic ice rinks. I live in Africa where it is to hot (and getting warmer) for normal ice rinks. It is also to expensive to operate. Our people love sport and I want to open ice rinks in Cities, town and even remote places where people who have never seen snow in their lives will have the oppotunity to ice skate. Can somebody help me with relevant information
My kids tried skating on a plastic ice surface today - in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada - while in shorts on a warm spring day. They said they needed to push a bit harder (felt their leg muscles working a bit more than on real ice).. They (5 & 8 years of age) picked it up right away & loved it. I'd recommend not wearing nice clothing as they apply a mineral oil to the surface, so its a oily on clothing. When stopping tiny plastic shavings come off of the surface - which are cleaned up & put in the garbage -so this part is not very eco-friendly - but otherwise awesome, kids loved it - and if I find an extra $20K laying around for a 20ftx30ft rink I'll buy one.
Sorry folks. I work at a plastic ice rink in the US and it is simply not fun to skate on. The majority of our customers either complain or ask for a refund. The real use for this material is as a training surface for young children who have never skated, or as a way for hockey players to build up their skating muscles. I've figure skated competitively for ten years and I can barely move on this stuff. Not to mention the plastic shavings, which someone mentioned above. Skating on plastic produces huge piles of plastic shavings which get on your clothes and everywhere else. We fill a big shop vac with the shavings everyday.
Skates must be super sharp, and after an hour on this surface, they have no edge left, so this is a quick way to ruin skates.
Give me real ice any day!