It’s durable, resilient and lower-maintenance than natural grass – but there’s still many downsides and unknowns to artificial turf
Artificial turf or synthetic grass is commonly used in sporting facilities due to its resilience, but there are concerns regarding its environmental impact.Artificial turf or synthetic grass is commonly used in sporting facilities due to its resilience, but there are concerns regarding its environmental impact.wo years ago the Northern Beaches council replaced the worn-out synthetic turf from a council oval, replacing natural grass with the product sometimes known as astroturf.
The main concern was potential plastic pollution. Most synthetic sports fields in NSW feature long synthetic blades supported by infill; the most commonly used infill is styrene butadiene rubber crumbs sourced from recycled tyres.The SBR crumb is the material most associated with community concerns about contamination. But the chief scientist says there is insufficient information and a lack of standards about the materials and chemical composition of the synthetic turf itself.
“The amount of turf fibres lost from a synthetic turf field is likely to be in the hundreds of kilograms per year, with the amount increasing for fields near the end of life or under poor maintenance.”One of the big drivers of increasing installation of artificial turf is population density and increased demands on sporting grounds.
“These new surfaces are more resilient and unlike natural turf, they do not require returfing or weed control and can still be used in wet weather – meaning more play time,” Hein says. A spokesperson for Sydney’s Inner West council, which has four synthetic fields, says it uses an organic infill to help reduce the heat during hot weather. It was also aiming to plant more trees to reduce the heat island effect.Following the restrictions on exporting plastic waste, Australian artificial grass manufacturer Tuff Turf has partnered with Sustainability Victoria to build a recycling plant at Barnawartha, near the Victoria-NSW border.
The first stage is to separate the sand, crumb and “gunk” from the plastic matting. The sand and rubber is then cleaned for reuse.The mat is then shaved of the grass blades so the plastic grass can be melted down into polyurethane pellets and stabiliser, which can be used in products such as boards for landscaping and seats.
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