Dongducheon City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Park Hyung-deok) announced on the 29th that the artificial turf at the comprehensive sports complex, which was installed in 2011 as part of flood recovery efforts, has been replaced this year after 13 years.

The artificial turf at Dongducheon City Sports Complex, installed in 2011 as part of flood recovery efforts, has been replaced this year after 13 years. Provided by Dongducheon City

This replacement came at a time when the turf had aged significantly due to frequent events and snow removal operations, exceeding its durability period (7 years) by nearly double. The city’s efforts to maintain the turf in optimal condition were a major factor in its extended use.

However, despite the city’s continuous efforts, replacing the turf with a more resilient artificial turf became urgent to prevent injuries to users and allow for diverse uses.

Regarding this, Kim Jeong-hwan, head of the sports complex team, stated, “If it were used only for soccer, the artificial turf could last more than five years, but like most local government sports complexes, the turf’s lifespan shortens due to regional festivals, use for other sports, and snow removal operations.” He added, “In Dongducheon City, large-scale events such as the annual Star Festival and MTB competitions are frequent, making replacement urgent.”

Meanwhile, the waste disposal cost for the used turf, which inevitably arises during the replacement process, can reach nearly 300 million KRW, and this was reflected in the turf replacement project plan.

Won Seong-wook, the official in charge at the time, said, “Beyond the cost, it was too wasteful to dispose of turf that could still be used for a considerable period if only for soccer,” and reviewed the Waste Management Act and cases from other cities and counties.

As a result, based on the Ministry of Environment’s authoritative interpretation that “if the removed artificial turf is relocated without deformation or processing and used for the same purpose, it is not considered waste,” they found a company that could move the turf without cutting or altering it during removal.

Meanwhile, the issue was how to handle the existing turf. The sports complex team began identifying demand for the artificial turf starting with local schools and then sent official letters to nearby military units and other military units within Gyeonggi Province. As a result, the turf was reused for soccer fields for soldiers at the 77th Maintenance Battalion and the 28th Division Headquarters.

This reduced the waste disposal cost from about 300 million KRW to approximately 40 million KRW, resulting in significant budget savings. Moreover, it contributed to improving the living environment and physical fitness of soldiers dedicated to serving the nation, creating a win-win effect between the city and the military units, earning praise from the local community.

Meanwhile, Kim Tae-hwa, head of the Facilities Project Office, said, “Due to the nature of the military units, general events can be held in the parade ground and soccer matches on the soccer field, so the turf’s lifespan is expected to be much longer. Especially since we were able to save more than 200 million KRW in budget, it led to a mutually beneficial outcome.”

Yoon Hee-cheol, commander of the 77th Maintenance Battalion, which installed the turf, said, “We thank Dongducheon City for their unwavering support in improving the unit environment and enhancing soldiers’ physical fitness. We will continue to do our best to cooperate in areas such as civil service in the future.”