Artificial turf can be a tempting, low-maintenance alternative to grass when installed around a home. But before you uproot your vegetation and install synthetic grass, consider these concerns.
Environmental Concerns
- Microplastic Pollution: Sheds plastic blades and infill, polluting soil, water, and air, and entering the food chain.
- Landfill Waste: Difficult to recycle due to mixed materials and contaminants, ending up in landfills.
- Carbon Footprint: Heavy energy use in production and transport from fossil fuels.
- No Biodiversity: Offers no habitat or food for insects, birds, or soil organisms, unlike real grass.
- Soil Health: Blocks sunlight and rain, preventing soil from getting essential organic matter.
- Adds to heat island effect: By heating up during the day and then dissipating that heat during the night, artificial turf adds to the heat island effect, making nighttime temperatures uncomfortable and raising air conditioning costs.
Health & Safety Issues
- Overheating: Absorbs and radiates heat, making it extremely hot and potentially causing burns, especially in summer.
- Hard Surface: Can be hard and unforgiving, increasing injury risk from falls compared to natural grass.
- Harmful Chemicals: May contain PFAS and other toxins that can leach out.
Maintenance & Performance
- Cost: High initial installation cost compared to natural grass.
- Requires Cleaning: Needs regular rinsing, brushing, and dealing with pet waste to manage odor and cleanliness.
- Drainage Issues: Poor drainage can lead to standing water, mold, mildew, and mosquitoes.
- Not Forever: Needs replacement in as little as 8 years when worn or discolored, adding to waste.
Other Drawbacks
- No Natural Benefits: Doesn’t produce oxygen, cool the air naturally, or offer the sensory experience of real grass.
- Difficult to Repair: Patching or removing damaged sections can be complex
- May not recoup cost: It’s doubtful that the expense for installation can be recovered by any value (if any) that it adds to a home’s market price.
- Buyer’s hate it: For new owners of your home, removing artificial turf and creating a fresh, new landscape can represent a huge project that must undertaken when buying your home, thus chilling what they feel the home is worth as well as their enthusiasm to make an offer.
