Maintaining a synthetic pitch is not optional — it is an obligation

The idea that a synthetic pitch needs no maintenance is stubborn. It is wrong technically, and risky legally.

In its ruling of 10 February 1993 (no. 74315-75875), the French Conseil d'État held that an owner operating a facility directly can be held liable where maintenance is not carried out in line with the manufacturer's specifications. Where the work is contracted out — a public service contract, a performance-based contract, a concession — the obligations do not soften: the technical specification generally requires the surface manufacturer's recommendations to be followed, and work that is insufficient or unsuitable engages the contractor's liability.

Maintenance is therefore not good housekeeping. It is a condition of the warranty and a protection against dispute.

In practice a programme comes down to four actions: brushing the fibres to lift them and spread the infill, clearing the surface of leaves and organic debris that encourage compaction, decompacting the infill that play packs down, and carrying out a deep clean once or twice a year. Light and frequent always beats heavy and late.

Non-infill pitches are no exception. Their very high fibre density — tens of thousands of strands per square metre — makes them behave like filters: they hold leaves, feathers, hair, cigarette ends and organic particles. There is no longer any granule to decompact, but cleaning and brushing remain essential, with gentle settings and always along the direction the carpet was laid.

Finally, 2031 is coming. SBR will no longer be available as an infill material, and the alternatives — cork, olive stones, TPE — each have their own characteristics. They call for some adjustment of frequency and settings, but the essential operations stay the same: brushing, decompaction, levelling, cleaning.

Regularity is what makes the difference, and that is exactly what an autonomous machine can sustain. BUKY ONE maintains a full football pitch in 3 h 30, on its own: it brushes, lifts the strands, decompacts and levels the surface.