Artificial Turf Myth Busters
If you want to get a soccer mom’s attention, bring up the subject of artificial turf.
Artificial turf is the preferred playing surface by school boards and parks and recreation departments for children from kindergarten to college. But with concerns about the environment, player health and safety, and cost, parents have become alarmed by negative media reports surrounding artificial turf.
But science is on our side here at Turfix, so we are dispelling five myths about artificial turf fields and bringing you the facts.
Myth #1: Synthetic Turf is Bad for the Environment.
Many people don’t realize is that artificial turf is actually a responsible landscaping option with numerous environmental benefits, such as water conservation, chemical-free maintenance, and reduced pollution. Artificial turf eliminates the need for harmful pesticides and fertilizers while also reducing noxious emissions from maintenance equipment and mowers needed to maintain natural grass.
Turfix lawn turf has a measurable, positive impact on the environment. At Turfix, we offer even more eco-friendly services, such as turf and infill recycling repurposing.
Myth #2: There is a Greater Risk of Injury on Artificial Turf.
Recognized organizations, such as FIFA, the NCAA, and others have released recent studies measuring the injury risk on synthetic turf compared to natural grass. Researchers indicated time and time again that the injury risk of playing on synthetic turf is no greater, and in some cases even lower, than on natural grass.
Turfix synthetic sports turf fields are designed with the safety of the athlete in the foreground. Turfix even performs G-Max safety testing using ASTM standards to further prevent concussions and other injuries.
Myth #3: Synthetic Turf is Breeding Ground for MRSA.
Many parents express concerns about MRSA and staph infections. While an outbreak of this sort is quite serious, the role synthetic turf plays is minimal. Research shows that microbes survive equally as long on natural grass as they do on synthetic turf and bacterial microbes have low survival rates when exposed to UV light. These types of outbreaks are linked to poor hygiene, not synthetic turf.
But you can never be too careful. Turfix makes sure your field is clean and disinfected by providing field sanitization for when your players busy are leaving all their blood, sweat, and tears out on the field.
Myth #4: Crumb Rubber Infill Causes Cancer.
Crumb rubber is scrap tire that is ground up and recycled to produce the infill for synthetic turf fields. Over the years, carcinogen content in crumb rubber has been called into question. But nearly 100 independent and credible studies have validated the safety of synthetic turf fields with crumb rubber infill, including those conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency. These studies have examined crumb rubber’s health and environmental effects and none has found cause for concern.
Turfix takes the health and safety of those who use our synthetic turf very seriously and believes science-based information should be the foundation of any discussion regarding synthetic turf safety.
Myth #5: Artificial Turf is More Expensive Than Natural Grass.
Synthetic turf is highly cost-effective and has an excellent ROI. Those who choose artificial turf over natural grass often recover the installation costs within a few years by reducing the need for water and lawn maintenance costs. Furthermore, many schools often rent their synthetic turf fields to teams and organizations to bring in extra funding while the reduction in the sports field maintenance budget frees up even more funds.
The bottom line is that Turfix lawn turf is best for your bottom line. Installing a synthetic turf field saves time and money. Not to mention it has a much longer life span.
At Turfix, we offer consulting services to current and prospective customers and are happy to discuss the science behind any of these myths. If you want to learn more about how artificial turf protects you players, the environment, and your budget, Contact Turfix today—we are experts in our field!