On the 13th of March, the city of Cheongju and the Chungbuk Cheongju FC signed an agreement to transform their home stadium into one of the cleanest stadiums in the world by eliminating single-use plastics and paper products. Instead of using disposable cups for food and beverages sold during games, spectators will be encouraged to utilize reusable containers. These containers can be obtained from food trucks located around the stadium and must be returned for cleaning and recycling at a dedicated facility, thus promoting a sustainable waste management system.

The Cheongju Reusable Container Washing Center was established through a public tender from the Ministry of Environment, costing approximately 4.58 billion KRW. This facility, capable of washing around 20,000 reusable containers a day, was opened in March of the previous year and is located within the city’s Nadeuk-dong area. To enhance the local circular economy, the city has purchased nearly 37,950 reusable items, including bowls, plates, and cutlery, which are employed in public venues such as hospitals and funeral homes, further promoting the recycling and sustainable use of resources.

Cheongju and Chungbuk Cheongju FC hope that the implementation of a waste-free stadium will not only curb single-use product consumption during matches but also strengthen the circular economy within the community. According to Ahn Kwang-seok, a representative from Cheongju’s Resource Recycling Team, they aim to integrate environmentally friendly policies in sports settings and eventually expand this initiative to other professional sport events in Cheongju, including basketball and handball, based on the results of this pilot program.