Channel 2 Investigates looked into the growing concerns about metro Atlanta parks and schools using artificial turf on their athletic fields.
Some environmental groups say there are serious health concerns parents need to know about including exposure to harmful forever chemicals, known as PFAS, and risk of burns.
You can see the full Channel 2 Action News investigation here.
The Synthetic Turf Council (STC), an advocacy group, told Channel 2 it has worked with its members to ensure their products contain no intentionally added PFAS.
The following information was provided by the STC.
Benefits that turf provides for communities in increasing access:
- Usable in rain or shine: Synthetic turf allows families and athletes to enjoy its benefits and play year-round, even in inclement weather conditions.
- Provides multi-use opportunities: Synthetic turf fields provide a space for multi-purpose competition, allowing multiple sports to be played on a single field.
- Increases access for all communities: As a sports field, synthetic turf expands access for all communities, including underserved communities where resources for athletic and play fields are limited.
Lowers costs:
- Less expensive: Though costs vary depending on yard size and region, over time, artificial turf is definitively less expensive than natural grass landscaping.
- Brings costs down: According to one study, the usage rate is significantly higher and cost per event is materially less for synthetic turf fields compared to natural grass. This study shows that the average cost of 40 events per year on natural grass will run $1,362.50, while the average cost of 1,000 events per year for synthetic turf totals just $3.85.
Environmental benefits:
- Reducing the need for toxic chemicals: With runoff of toxic pesticides and fertilizers as a principal cause of water pollution, synthetic turf eliminates the need for nearly a billion pounds of harmful pesticides, fertilizers, fungicides, and herbicides which are used to maintain grass.
- Saves water: One full-size synthetic turf sports field saves between 500,000 and 1 million gallons of water each year. In one year, all synthetic turf fields save roughly six billion gallons of water. When it comes to residential landscape, an average lawn of 1,800 square feet will save 99,000 gallons of water a year if landscaped with synthetic turf – about 70% of a homeowner’s water bill, or up to $500.
Consistency and playability:
- Consistent playing surface: Synthetic turf eliminates issues like divots and holes when properly installed and maintained.
- Year-round playability: Synthetic turf maintains its performance characteristics regardless of weather and time of the year, reducing the chances of injuries caused by slippery or soggy conditions. In contrast, a grass field simply cannot remain usable after three or four days of use a week, in the rain, or during the months when grass doesn’t grow.
On PFAS:
- No intentionally added PFAS: On the manufacturing front, STC has worked with its members to ensure their products contain no intentionally added PFAS constituents. In 2024, STC members are committed to finding a standardized testing method to confirm that their products contain no intentionally added PFAS constituents.
- For example, STC member Tencate announced it removed even trace amounts of PFAS from its products.
- On a standardized testing method: STC members are working through ASTM International in formalizing a testing process to confirm that our members’ products do not contain intentionally added PFAS.
- Prevalence of PFAS in the environment: As the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) points out, the unfortunate reality is that the existence of PFAS constituents is widespread, as they are “present at low levels in a variety of food products and in the environment.” PFAS concerns are not unique to the synthetic turf industry, and this characterization fails to recognize the vast prevalence of PFAS in our daily lives.
- In fact, a study done by Huntress Associates, a landscape architecture firm that ordered soil testing done in Martha’s Vineyard analyzing the PFAS levels of different surfaces, shows that such levels in the soil were comparable to those found in synthetic turf products.
- Similarly, in a moratorium before the Oak Bluffs Board of Health where the construction of synthetic turf fields in town was being discussed, Chris Huntress, the president of the landscape firm, stated that current topsoil at the existing grass high school field has “10 to 12 times’' more PFAS than a new turf field would.
- Huntress is quoted in the Washington Post as saying: “You can dislike turf for a whole lot of reasons. You can say that it’s hotter than natural grass because it is. But you cannot dislike it for PFAS. Because the trace elements that we’re seeing are so small that they’re shown to not have an impact on human health or environmental health.”
On heat:
- Most sports surfaces have various strengths, and community needs are normally met through a combination of different surfaces, including synthetic turf. The synthetic turf industry takes concerns about high surface temperatures seriously, many of which can be addressed during the design and installation phase, and through education around smart scheduling and temperature monitoring.
- Advanced cooling technologies, such as irrigation systems and reflective coatings, can significantly reduce surface temperatures on synthetic turf fields. Additionally, scheduled breaks and proper hydration can mitigate heat-related risks.
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