To spread awareness of the toxicity of plastic grass?

[DataNotLore]

Here: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35948114/#:~:text=Numerous%20studies%20have%20shown%20that,%2C%20mutagens%2C%20and%20endocrine%20disruptors.

Not only is it bad for the environment but it's probably bad for your health too.

The issues are still being investigated, but:

"Numerous studies have shown that chemicals identified in artificial turf, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phthalates, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are known carcinogens, neurotoxicants, mutagens, and endocrine disruptors."

I'm happy with our plastic grass in our garden.
We are SURROUNDED by toxic chemicals..... make up, cleaning products, skincare, haircare..... I could go on. North facing garden so suits us. Doesn't get too hot, easy to maintain. May look to change in the future but it's fine for us at the moment.
I don't claim it looks like real grass because it doesn't. But it's nice and works for our family at the moment

Yes this! It is a real conundrum, I understand the need to get cars off the road and onto a private parking space, yet it is awful seeing gardens disappear to tarmac .

It's terrible for the environment but that article is really just a fluff piece and doesnt present any direct or good evidence that plastic grass is poisonous

But you said your neighbours would be pleased with your fakey grass - do you mean they all have it too?! Why, when it looks so awful and tacky, would a whole neighbourhood want it? Are they not concerned about property prices?

See, I feel this way about artificial sweeteners, including bloody ‘natural’ Stevia. I have vomiting and migraines every time I unwittingly consume one (usually if someone else buys me a drink, even if I specify the full sugar version) to me they are poison. I’m amazed that so many people willingly consume them and let their children consume them.

BUT, it’s their choice. As long as they don’t inflict them on me, it’s OK.

I dislike it because of the negative effect on the food chain and therefore biodiversity. Also, when a teenager I know was hospitalised with a nasty infection after grazing her knee in a fall on astro-turf, the doctor told her that such infections are a problem known to be related to astro-turf.

Oh, and it's tacky-looking too. I wouldn't buy a house with astro-turf.

So you'd be happy with your kids playing on say, asbestos?

Same argument.

I always thought I would want Astro. I'm not a gardener and have limited interest/time to spend maintaining. However I then saw about clover lawns and decided I'm going to do that instead! https://dengarden.com/gardening/Clover-Lawns

They need minimal watering and upkeep and attract pollinators

Clover lawns are lovely!

Mix in some chamomile for the most amazing scent ❤️

On the other hand I’ve seen quite a few pictures of grass and weeds growing through/ round the edges of plastic grass, so entire can fight back.

Be a pit annoying to spend loads on it and find you still have to weed the bloody stuff.

I love mine

@RafaistheKingofClay

I do a little happy dance inside when I see that 😁

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
What a ridiculous comparison.

I think it looks disgusting and am heartened to hear there has been some research into it's toxicity. Maybe it will get banned from gardens eventually!

We have fake grass in our garden because we rent and that's what was there...

Trust me, I judge skanky plastic gardens. I don't judge nettles and dandelions.

Plastic lowers the tone more than weeds. The grottiest people in my estate have plastic / paved their gardens.

Do you have any links supporting your assertion that artificial grass is hazardous to people? Other than that abstract, which doesn’t.

@MrsMiagi

Why is it ridiculous?

Perfectly comparable.

They thought asbestos was perfectly safe at one time.

The same people who decide to get wood burning stoves, good for the environment allegedly but pump out toxic smoke all winter. People are lazy and thick and don’t think of further than tomorrow!

Meh. Our garden was unusable before an absolute constant mud pit due to poor drainage. We had a raised bed installed and Astro on top.

we also left a section between our fence and the school behind us and let it grow wild also have potted lots of plants and we get some
happy bees visiting. For us it was the right decision. If I worried about everything that’s bad for me I wouldn’t be the overweight plum I am 🤷🏻‍♀️

I hate plastic grass. I love the lovely hum of bees in the vegetation of my garden. I love thinking that I'm providing a thriving ecosystem for all the little creatures.

I love our plastic carpet of fakery. Sorry! We only have a back yard so there was no grass to rip up to start with.

People have this idea that long grass isn’t attractive and that you have to constantly mow your lawn if you have real grass.

But I’ve grown some of my lawn long (with short bits to sit on and a path to walk through), and the long flowering grasses are a beautiful pink colour. They’re different shapes and nice to feel as I walk past. There are also little wild flowers in there too, which just sprung up on their own. I love the smell and feel of it. Little sparrows like to dive down in the long grass to feed too, I can watch from my window.

When I see proper information that explains plastic grass which, let's be honest, doesn't have us on very often due to full time work, lack of good weather for very long in the UK, other commitments, is as dangerous as asbestos then I'm happy to be proven wrong.
I like the idea of the clover garden, hadn't heard of that before. But as I said, happy with my choice and it works for me.
It does make me laugh how angry people get with other people's choices. If you don't like it don't get it. Leave people be

@WiseUpJanetWeiss

Here we go, fastest lit review in the West!

theintercept.com/2019/10/08/pfas-chemicals-artificial-turf-soccer/

amp.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/30/boston-bans-artificial-turf-toxic-forever-chemicals-pfas

www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/new-studies-show-pfas-artificial-grass-blades-and-backing

environmentaldefence.ca/2022/03/31/plastic-grass-isnt-green-the-problem-with-artificial-turf/

www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/does-playing-on-artificial-turf-pose-a-health-risk-for-your-child/2017/03/17/0c61b7b4-0380-11e7-ad5b-d22680e18d10_story.html

And a bit of hard science:

www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1909886116