A few weeks ago, I read in this paper that the city is exploring the idea of replacing grass on its sports fields with artificial turf. If you’ve been reading these articles about refuse, the evils of plastic and items made with it, you can probably predict what this column will have to say about that idea.

As I understand it, Concord’s sports fields leave something to be desired. They have dips where water gathers, bare spots and muddy spots. Games are postponed for excess water and mud, especially in a summer like we’ve just had. Some have called our fields an embarrassment. Of course, all this is not good.

Then there is the maintenance of grass fields: mowing, watering in dry times, fertilizing, fixing divots.

Exploring this topic, I’ve learned how many brands and sources there are for synthetic grass. There are plenty, with differing quality and uses. It seems the best practice is to install high quality turf with a layer of sand and rubber crumbles.

“Angi” lists its pros and cons. Under pros, it is expensive to install but lasts a long time (from 10 to 20 years). It is usable year-round. It is good for areas of mostly shade and always looks healthy. The cons include off-gassing from the polypropylene or polyethylene plastic it is made of which can affect asthma sufferers and cause delayed child development. It is hot in the summer. Rain runoff brings micro-plastics to streams and ground water. It is not biodegradable so when it is replaced with new, it will end up in a landfill, forever. It can trap blood, skin and animal waste making it a breeding ground for bacteria. Direct sunlight will degrade it sooner than shade.

Besides “Angie”, some sports figures complain that it can cause friction burns. Reportedly, injury rates on artificial turf are higher than on natural grass.

So plastic grass seems the easiest path to take, easier than leveling the ground and finding a way to drain excess rainwater from a natural grass surface. However, in these times when we are more aware of the harm our addiction to all things plastic is causing us and our environment, I hope our city decision-makers will forego the astro-turf.

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