Problems With Artificial Grass

AstroTurf was first patented in 1967 under the name "ChemGrass", and later re-branded as AstroTurf after its iconic use at the Houston Astrodome stadium. Since then, artificial turf has seen widespread use in all kinds of sports fields and stadiums. Lately however, artificial turf is becoming increasingly touted as a substitution for real grass in front yards and parks and it's easy to see why. After all, it's low-to-no maintenance and green all year round.

Sounds perfect, right? Well not so fast, because there are a few things you should know before committing to artificial turf that might change your mind.

Injuries

Firstly, artificial turf is a lot harder than real grass. If you or your children do a lot of working or playing in the yard, the odds of receiving a bone or head injury are much higher. There's also the issue of abrasions and "rug burn" after falling on it and we're not just talking about minor scrapes. These AstroTurf abrasions are known to lead to an increased risk of a super bug known as methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus.

Bacteria

Such artificial grass is made of polyethylene plastic which can be a breeding ground for all kinds of bacteria. These fields are rarely washed and cleaned, meaning that anything from blood and sweat to insect remains and spills will be left sitting for months and develop into all kinds of germ-filled nastiness.

Toxic Run-Off

These turfs contain lead, zinc, and even high-risk chemicals like arsenic, cadmium and selenium. When it rains, some of this residue is inevitably going to run off with the water which is horrible for the environment and your health.

Environmentally Unfriendly

In addition to the matter of toxic run off, they are environmentally unfriendly in the sense that it takes a lot of natural resources and fossil fuels to produce, and it doesn't contribute to the production of oxygen like real plants. Indeed, it's thought that mass use of plastic turf is actually a big contributor to the greenhouse effect.

Breathing Problems

Some people switch from grass to artificial turf in hopes that it will eliminate breathing problems and asthmatic complications thanks to the lack of pollen but in reality, the opposite is true. Artificial turf collects massive amounts of dust from the environment and plastic residue which can actually be even worse for you.

Once You Go Plastic, It's Hard to Go Back

If you choose to install artificial turf and later change your mind once you realize these problems, it's almost impossible. Plastic turf kills virtually any living organism under, on, and around it meaning that it will take years' worth of soil remediation before any type of grass or plant can grow on it again. It might seem like a good idea, but it probably won't later and at that point, it will be too late to do anything about it.