Turf War

Artificial turf was created in the 1960s and first used commercially in sports stadiums. The surface is made from an impact-absorbing pad covered with a carpet of plastic fibers. Loose material—most commonly bits of rubber from recycled tires—fills the spaces between the fake blades of grass. This material provides grip and cushioning for athletes. It also helps with water drainage.

The biggest benefit of artificial turf is that it allows athletic fields to be used more frequently, says Melanie Taylor. She’s president and CEO of the Synthetic Turf Council, a trade association for the synthetic turf industry. “Synthetic turf can handle a lot of games, a lot of practices and recesses, without turning muddy or wearing out in high-traffic areas,” she says. It can also require less maintenance—there’s no need to mow or water it.

Even though the material is durable and needs little upkeep, it also gets much hotter than natural grass. That’s because grass transpires, or releases water vapor, from its leaves. This cools the surrounding air. But artificial turf absorbs the sun’s heat, “just like an asphalt parking lot does,” says Sarah Evans, a public health researcher at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. The turf warms the air above it, making temperatures hotter for players (see “How Hot?,” below). “That can lead to heat illness or heat exhaustion,” says Evans. These dangerous medical conditions occur when the body overheats.

Artificial turf was created in the 1960s. First, it was used commercially in sports stadiums. The surface is made from an impact-absorbing pad. A carpet of plastic fibers covers it. Loose material fills the spaces between the fake blades of grass. Most often, this material consists of bits of rubber from recycled tires. It provides grip and cushioning for athletes. It also helps with water drainage.

The biggest benefit of artificial turf fields is that they can be used more frequently, says Melanie Taylor. She’s president and CEO of the Synthetic Turf Council, a trade association for the synthetic turf industry. “Synthetic turf can handle a lot of games, a lot of practices and recesses, without turning muddy or wearing out in high-traffic areas,” she says. It can also require less maintenance. People don’t need to mow or water it.

The material is durable and needs little upkeep. But it also gets much hotter than natural grass. That’s because grass transpires. It releases water vapor from its leaves. This cools the surrounding air. But artificial turf absorbs the sun’s heat, “just like an asphalt parking lot does,” says Sarah Evans. She’s a public health researcher at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. The turf warms the air above it, so temperatures become hotter for players (see “How Hot?”). “That can lead to heat illness or heat exhaustion,” says Evans. These are dangerous medical conditions. They occur when the body overheats.

In the end, Nicole’s school opted for a new artificial turf field, citing concerns over how well a natural grass field would hold up over time. The county’s board of supervisors also voted not to ban the material. But the teens’ campaign did help raise awareness about the issue. One nearby city, for example, changed its plans to install artificial turf on a park’s athletic fields, choosing to stick with natural grass. Nicole was happy that her group’s efforts had inspired others to act.

Taylor, with the Synthetic Turf Council, believes communities should choose the field surface that best meets their needs. They might want to consider weather conditions, maintenance costs, amount of use, and whether they need year-round access. And some athletes just prefer playing on artificial turf, Taylor adds. But Evans, the public health researcher, says that “because we have a safer alternative, which is natural grass, I would argue there’s no reason to utilize [artificial] products.”

One thing both sides agree on is that it’s important for kids to get outside and play—no matter what type of field it’s on. Evans does suggest not playing on artificial turf on very hot days, sitting or lounging on the surface, or going barefoot. And after you’re done playing, always wash your hands.

In the end, Nicole’s school decided on a new artificial turf field. They were concerned that a natural grass field might not hold up well over time. The county’s board of supervisors also voted not to ban the material. But the teens’ campaign did help raise awareness about the issue. For example, one nearby city changed its plans to install artificial turf on a park’s athletic fields. They stuck with natural grass. Nicole was happy that her group’s efforts inspired others to act.

Taylor, with the Synthetic Turf Council, believes communities should have a choice. Which field surface is best for their needs? They might consider weather conditions, maintenance costs, amount of use, and whether they need year-round access. And some athletes prefer playing on artificial turf, Taylor adds. But Evans, the public health researcher, disagrees. She says that “because we have a safer alternative, which is natural grass, I would argue there’s no reason to utilize [artificial] products.”

Both sides agree on one thing. Kids need to get outside and play, no matter what nearby fields are made of. Evans does suggest some safety measures. Don’t play on artificial turf on very hot days. Don’t sit or rest on the surface or go barefoot. And after you play, always wash your hands.