Groundskeeping Journal Issue 17 2023 | Page 49

SPORTS PITCHES ingwood Town FC recently

R began re-development work on their Long Lane home . Supported by New Forest District Council , AFC Bournemouth Community Trust and the Football Foundation , the club are future proofing their facilities for the modern age .

A UK first field Part of this re-development included a state-of-the-art Atomic Pro 50 3G pitch , that also features a UK first engineered sports performance base layer built by TigerTurf partners , McArdle Sport Tec .
ecocept , is a popular base layer created by TigerTurf , the recipe is usually made up of 100 % recycled mixed waste plastics , however for Ringwood Town , TigerTurf created a UK first version , primarily using end-of-life artificial grass fields .
1.4 million drinks bottles ! The majority of raw material for ecocept was taken from end-of-life artificial grass pitches , the rest of the mixture was taken from off-cuts from new build sites , TigerTurf UK production off-cuts , test pieces and trims and household waste . All material used , was uplifted and recycled in the UK , recycling 70,490kgs of plastic , the equivalent of 1.4 million drinks bottles !
As well as the ecocept base , the club chose to make use of trekboards , an infill mitigation system also manufactured using 100 % recycled mixed waste plastics . One field of trekboards saves 4320kgs CO2 emissions and is the equivalent of recycling 600,00 carrier bags ! Trekboards can also be recycled at end-of-life and re-processed back into more trekboards , creating a cradle-to-cradle solution .
TigerTurf ’ s Atomic Pro 50 artificial grass surface was chosen to provide a FIFA accredited , quality accompaniment to the ecocept base . Using the Atomic Pro 50 and ecocept system , allowed Ringwood Town to also achieve a 37 % reduction in SBR infill use , compared to a traditional system .
This is a significant development for sustainable construction in sports facilities and demonstrates the commitment of TigerTurf UK , McArdle Sport Tec and the Football Foundation towards applying ecofriendly practices and products into their projects .
A sustainable system , built for future generations .
The new field provides a high-quality playing surface for the club and the local community while also reducing environmental impact by using recycled materials . The addition of the new pitch and sports performance layer will help to improve the playing experience for players and provide a new , modern facility for the community . www . mcardlesport . co . uk
Using the Atomic Pro 50 and ecocept system , allowed Ringwood Town to also achieve a 37 % reduction in SBR infill use , compared to a traditional system .
GroundskeepingJournal . co . uk | May / June 2023 49