OLD SPORTS FIELDS ARE NOT WASTE – THEY ARE ECONOMIC ASSETS

NEWSLETTER

OLD SPORTS FIELDS ARE NOT WASTE – THEY ARE ECONOMIC ASSETS

Türkiye is launching an environmentally and economically sound transformation fully aligned with its COP31 candidacy and the EU Green Deal targets.
The renewal of old sports fields is no longer an environmental risk — it is a major economic opportunity.

A NEW ERA: CERTIFIED REMOVAL AND STRICT INSPECTION

To protect nature and prevent unfair competition, the solution is clear:

• Mandatory use of licensed facilities
• Full documentation of waste delivery to authorized operators
• Synthetic turf manufacturers must take responsibility for materials removed during field replacement
• Sand recovered from old fields is 100% reusable
• SBR rubber granules must be analyzed before reuse and usage areas determined by test results
• Recovered materials can be used in social projects or as raw material for recycled plastic products

• Disposal ban: Synthetic turf waste must not be accepted at landfills or excavation dumping sites
• Old synthetic turf and infill materials remain in nature for centuries
• They turn into microplastics in underground water resources
• They negatively affect human health
• When dumped in agricultural areas, they infiltrate soil and crops

• Mass balance report: Quantities removed and recycled are monitored and documented

FROM CRISIS TO OPPORTUNITY: OLD FIELDS AS ECONOMIC VALUE

The outdated “remove it, transport it, and dump it anywhere” approach is coming to an end.

• Synthetic turf carpets that have reached the end of their service life are not waste
• Tons of silica sand and SBR granules become valuable industrial raw materials Let’s make our sports fields part of the circular economy — benefiting both nature and Türkiye.

UP TO 40% MAJOR SAVINGS IN PUBLIC BUDGETS

Thanks to on-site recyclable recovery technologies:

• Removed infill materials are cleaned and reused on the same field or in new projects
• 30–40% cost savings are achieved in new field construction
• Waste management shifts from being a cost item to an institutional gainOLD SYNTHETIC TURF FIELDS ARE NOT SOLID WASTE. THEY ENABLE SUSTAINABLE, ON-SITE RECOVERY.

SAY NO TO MICROPLASTIC POLLUTION!

Did you know?
EU Green Deal studies show that 26% of microplastic pollution in Europe originates from synthetic turf fields.

• Even with proper maintenance, synthetic turf fields are identified as a major microplastic source
• With on-site separation systems, microplastic pollution is eliminated at its source
• Fully aligned with EU 2030 microplastic reduction targets
• Reduces dependency on imported raw materials
• Brings the “Zero Waste” concept directly onto the field

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