Many cities are finding that fake turf grass is an affordable alternative to natural grass, which can be expensive to maintain. In some areas, where the climate can make life for plants difficult, artificial grass can guarantee a green lawn year-around.
However, not everyone is pleased with the prominence of synthetic lawn turf in today’s cities. A bill was recently passed in New York City that will help ensure that building materials such as artificial grass will undergo strict review in the future to ensure that they are safe for both the public and the environment into which they are being introduced.
Critics of the use of artificial turf say that the materials used need to be examined more closely before being put in playgrounds. There are also concerns about the heat retention of the materials used. The artificial turf has the ability to soak up the heat from sunlight and emit it back. There are records of these materials being able to produce temperatures as hot as 150 degrees. However, critics do feel that the new bill is a positive step.
The New York City Parks Department states that wholesale artificial turf is actually a material that provides benefits for the environment that grass can’t. Natural grass fields in a city the size of New York requires millions of gallons of water to maintain. Additionally, chemicals like herbicides may be needed to keep the grass alive, which is something that many parents don’t want to expose their children to.
