Synthetic turf — or is real grass better?

In 1965, the country got its first giant indoor sports stadium, the Houston Astrodome which for many years served as the home for the Houston Astros football team. A new playing surface was developed by Monsanto for this indoor venue, an imitation plastic grass and the name, Astroturf soon became a generic trademark like Kleenex for all the other similar varieties that followed as artificial grass became ever more popular.

Currently there is a heated discussion about whether to install artificial instead of real grass playing fields — and it’s an argument about sports, health and the environment. Youth sports teams want year-round playing surfaces and turf companies want to convince folks that artificial grass does this better.

Over half the National Football League teams use artificial turf for their home fields as do six major league baseball teams. Reports are that across the country there are more than 16,000 synthetic turf playing fields with over a thousand new ones installed every year.

Synthetic turf is composed of polyethylene imitation grass blades woven into a spun backing of larger fibers perhaps half an inch thick, forming a porous mat. This is typically placed over one or two layers of fine gravel and crushed stone. Below it’s a leveled surface of compacted sand; or sometimes concrete. A separate drainage system is generally required. The lifespan of the synthetic turf carpet varies depending on the intensity of use and other factors. Manufacturers typically say a 20-year lifespan is normal whereas users more often suggest 5 to 10 years.

Artificial turf has certain advantages over natural grass:It needs no water to survive, does not need to be mowed or fertilized and it stays green.And unlike grass, it can be used soon after a rainstorm.

Synthetic turf has its shortcomings, however. Unlike grass, its blades can scrape and cut a player’s skin. During the warmer months it may become exceedingly hot, sometimes reaching temperatures of more than 150 degrees Fahrenheit, making it a dangerous surface for play.And it’s considerably harder on the body than real grass. Many studies over the years testify to a significant increase in injuries to feet, ankles and knees for football, soccer, baseball, field hockey and other players playing on artificial turf, whereas, unless the ground is frozen, falls on natural grass are usually much less punishing.

Moreover, the array of synthetic chemicalmaterials including PFAS in its construction that may leach out over time together with the toxic chemicals used for cleaning constitute a serious health concern.Another problem is the disposal of worn out synthetic turf;it requires professional help to move it and an approved disposal site. It’s a real environmental problem.

For most people, grass is grass; and that’s about it. But in reality there are many types and often several varieties within each type. For centuries grass tennis courts and golf course greens were grown exclusively with creeping bent grass, a type used hardly anywhere else although perennial rye grass has recently replaced bent as the surface for the world’s premier tennis tournament, Wimbledon.

Of course grass has some problems too. To be usable as a surface for playing sports, it requires regular maintenance including watering and mowing. Lawn services like to provide fertilizing and spraying with pesticides as well.But providing the most suitable, rich soil at the beginning minimizes the need for feeding. Generally feeding with a more balanced, slow-acting fertilizer makes healthier, better grass in the long run.

Traditionally fields for professional sports in temperate climates were sown with Kentucky bluegrass, often considered the most beautiful of lawn grasses but in recent years more fields have also used hardier types such as tall fescue or perennial rye, either on their own or as part of a mixture with Kentuckybluegrass to increase durability (and to stay green longer in the season). Over the last fifty years, agricultural scientists have been hard at work trying to make grass more beautiful, durable, and generally more serviceable.

A 2024 survey by the NFL players Association found that 92% of NFL players preferred playing on real grass rather than synthetic turf. However, 17 of the 32 NFL teams are still playing on synthetic turf but some expect to revert to grass in the coming years.

Despite the aggressive self-promotion by vendors of artificial turf over the years, real grass seems to be slowly regaining its dominance in athletic fields. Concerns regarding artificial turf’s disadvantages with regard to injuries, public health, and environmental aspects have over the years diminished popular enthusiasm for it. But more than anything, real grass has made a comeback in popular esteem because it is natural and easier for users to like than the plastic imitation, in today’s world a rare instance of the natural winning out over the artificial.

Architect and landscape designer Mac Gordon lives in Lakeville.