Stop Plastic Grass (aka Artificial Turf)

Written By Christina Dubin

Artificial turf (also known as “astroturf”, synturf, synthetic turf, or plastic grass) is effectively marketed as a “safe” alternative to natural grass but nothing could be further from the truth!

Plastic grass is a massive source of microplastics and exposure to hazardous chemicals including lead, cadmium, phthalates, and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances - a known class of dangerous “forever chemicals”.) These fields are also associated with heat islands, burns, and injuries.

Unlike a grass field which can be maintained forever, plastic grass fields have an average lifespan of 10 years after which they have to be disposed of. Artificial turf cannot be recycled so this huge amount of plastic ends up being discarded in landfills or burned in incinerators where negatively impacts the health of nearby environmental justice communities.

You can proactively protect your community from the harmful environmental and public health impacts of artificial turf by enacting a moratorium on the installation of artificial turf until a health study can be completed.

However, if there is already a plastic grass installation proposed and a bond vote is upcoming or an agency is in the approval process in your community, there are resources and organizations available to help you slow the process and sway decision makers away from making this mistake. Please fill out the “Strategy Guidance” form linked here and in the menu above if you would like help with your campaign to stop a proposed artificial turf installation.

The main focal points for building a successful opposition to synthetic turf are its: heat, toxicity, microplastics, cost, injury rates, and end of life disposal/impact on environmental justice communities.

HELPFUL ORGANIZATIONS

In addition to the resources featured in this toolkit, we strongly urge you to reach out to the following organizations:

  • Safe Healthy Playing Fields, Inc. — We recommend that you get in touch with our affiliated organization, Safe Healthy Playing Fields, which is at the forefront of the effort to reduce artificial turf. Email them at: SHPFC.contact@gmail.com

  • The Lowell Center for Sustainable Production — The Lowell Center receives many queries about artificial turf, playground surfacing, and natural grass athletic fields. Their website has reports, fact sheets, webinars, videos, and other resources to support informed decision-making at the state and local level. Much of TURI’s artificial turf resources have moved to this site.

  • PEER — Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility protects public employees who protect our environment. They are a service organization for environmental and public health professionals, land managers, scientists, enforcement officers and other civil servants dedicated to upholding environmental laws and values.

  • The Field Fund — In addition to presenting the negative impacts of turf fields, you should point to the alternative of organically managed natural grass fields. The Field Fund offers support to all schools and towns seeking to improve or better maintain their fields using a regenerative approach.

  • Beyond Pesticides — Beyond Pesticides provides hands-on services to the public and supports local action by identifying and interpreting hazards and designing safe pest management programs.

  • Osborne Organics — Chip Osborne founded Osborne Organics to support and educate the land care industry and public sector in alternative approaches to turf management.  As a national consultant, Chip works with state agencies, municipalities, universities and nonprofit organizations in the areas of organic turf management and pesticide elimination.

MODEL POLICIES

We’ve created some sample language that you can use to attempt to stop the installation of artificial turf (aka astroturf, synturf, synthetic turf, or plastic grass) in your town, city, or state below.

You can also use laws that have already passed in other parts of the country to draft a bill. Review our POLICY TRACKER and email christinadubin@bennington.edu with any additions or corrections.

GET THE FACTS

Artificial or synthetic turf is a multi-layer plastic product used as a surface on athletic playing fields, playgrounds, golf courses, and residential lawns. Plastic grass poses hazards by exposing people and pets to high heat, microplastics, injury, and chemicals including phthalates, lead, cadmium, and PFAS.

An average 80,000 square foot synthetic turf field contains 40,000 pounds of plastic carpeting and 400,000 pounds of infill. Fields have an average life span of ten years and then need to be disposed of, which is either done via landfilling or incineration, putting the community near the landfill or incinerator at risk for increased chemical exposure. Synthetic turf is NOT recycled as is often claimed.

View a full list of fact sheets, reports, studies & news articles. >>

TESTIMONY & MEMOS

View a full list of testimony and memos >>

WEBINAR RECORDINGS

Christina Dubin
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