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."

Paving with creeping thyme or similar is a better alternative to Astro if nothing else will grow. There's always something that will find a way and grow bwteeen paving. And it'll look and smell
So much better.

Do you not want to preserve the environment and biodiversity for your children’s future?

@DataNotLore I had this down in a small part of my garden until a few weeks ago when I learned the dangers. This absolutely needs to be wider known!

My reasoning for what it's worth is that I had a drainage problem I couldn't afford to fix in amongst everything else that needed doing when the house was bought. The fake turf meant the DC could still play in the garden. It looked like shit, but it felt like a short term fix until the priority jobs had been done.

My background is in education/early years, and I know so very many settings with this installed for the sake of reducing mud/mess on wet days. It's disturbing.

I don't have plastic grass but surprised at all the outrage. I bet many of you have loads of plastic tat in your gardens e.g. paddling pool, tables & chairs, plant pots, toys, etc. Never mind owning cars that cause more pollution than all the plastic grass combined.

I have plastic grass because I'm disabled and can't do the gardening and I can't afford anyone to do it for me. I tried for years to keep on top of my garden which became a bog in the rain as it was all clay soil and I could never get anything to grow in it - so I got some fake grass (and I agree, it isn't as nice as real grass but it's a lot nicer than the mud-bog with bald patches and overgrown tufts I used to have) and I've planted lots of flowers in pots and put birdfeeders around. It's easier to manage and at least I can sit in my garden sometimes now, unlike before.
Really hate this assumption that everyone with fake grass is somehow below everyone. Some of us have valid reasons to have it.

I don't think there are only two options ie: grass or plastic grass. All kinds of different solutions without putting that vile stuff down. I've also heard the "oh we bought the expensive type" defence, which actually is no defence at all. I'd love to see it banned, it's an abomination.

Not just plastic grass but paved over front gardens, because of laziness or because you have a car you cannot drive and park properly.

Makes flooding easier and contributes to global warming.

Part of the outrage is because the effect of a plastic lawn goes much further than the owners of said lawn. They change (i.e. reduce) drainage, leading to increased flood risk for the area. They directly contribute to global heating, due to their manufacture, maintenance, disposal and the heat island effect (they heat up much quicker than real grass or other alternatives and literally warm their surroundings). They are detrimental to biodiversity and the food web.

These factors impact everyone, and mean that artificial lawns are a huge net negative, regardless of how nice it is for owners not to have to mow their lawn 4 times a year, remind their kids to wipe their feet when they come in, or make the effort to look into non-grass and non-plastic options for their garden.

They should be illegal.

Yes. It will end up in landfill eventually anyway. The sooner you tear it up, the sooner you stop contributing to the myriad other negative effects of artificial lawns.

@Unsure33 I've just googled a few companies and it actually suggests washing once a week and brushing it with a stiff bristle brush but not vacuuming but I've definitely seen people in fb groups say they hoover theirs. It's also suggested that a leaf blower and pressure washer are useful to have with artificial lawns. I'm guessing the people here that say it's easier than grass don't clean or brush theirs or have pets that pee on it or eat or drink while sitting on it. It genuinely looks like more faff than mowing a lawn a couple of times a year.

Decking is a bit 15-years-ago, and plastic grass will go out of fashion too (I hope).

At this stage with the state of biodiversity, pollution etc we need to be thinking about easy wins. Without a car it would negatively affect many people’s ability to work or make the commute so long it would mean no quality of life. You can’t make any argument to save plastic grass. There is nothing positive to say about it. As for the people that hand plastic shrubs instead of handing baskets. WTAF it looks shit, looks fake and is totally unnecessary. I think governments on an international level need to be reducing plastic usage
bec people and corporations don’t give a shit. We know about micro plastics leeching FFS.

One paper. One search on chrysene, one MSDS for chrysene and a report about the use of tyre waste in playgrounds (which, oddly, the OP isn’t at all concerned about).

The paper is 10 years old, with no follow up despite referring to a follow up. It’s not really relevant to the UK because of the high temperatures an apparent lack of wind.

Yes, I know how to do literature searches. But you’re the one making claims so the onus is on you to provide evidence.

@WishIHadaGreenerThumb
Part of the outrage is because the effect of a plastic lawn goes much further than the owners of said lawn. They change (i.e. reduce) drainage, leading to increased flood risk for the area. They directly contribute to global heating, due to their manufacture, maintenance, disposal and the heat island effect (they heat up much quicker than real grass or other alternatives and literally warm their surroundings). They are detrimental to biodiversity and the food web

These apply to other things though such as concrete, tarmac, paving etc

I don't get the outrage over artificial grass in particular.

Do you have paving? I have a large lawn but I also have a reasonable sized granite patio. The granite was from somewhere far away. I think it was Brazil. So why the outrage over the fake grass and not paving. Etc

This has to be the most Mumsnet thread I've ever read.

Are you being unreasonable to raise awareness of potential risks associated with artificial grass? No.

Are you being unreasonable to post judgy, opinionated, snobby comments instead of actually raising awareness? Yes, 100%.

Stick to the actual narrative and keep your opinions to yourself.

@DaysAndDays plastic grass is low hanging fruit and we ought to take it. But you're right. We shouldn't be shipping granite from Brazil. Plenty in this country!

People that have fake grass are the same people that have sex ponds hot tubs in their garden. Yes, I am a judgemental bitch!

A family member has covered her previously beautiful garden in fake grass but ‘it’s the posh stuff’. It looks cheap. Their reason for doing it was that their dd was getting dirty!

It's not just my opinion though, is it?

It's supposed to be judgey.

I am not in court, I don’t have to do anything. I did a simple google search and those were results from page 1. The last article is about rubber particles which can be found in artificial turf, so is relevant to OP.

if you are happy watching your children play with carcinogenic material that’s fine, but everyone should be aware of the dangers. The studies I found weren’t up to your standard but every parent can choose to do their own research.

You were the one making the snarky comments suggesting that I should have googled. My response was a response to that.

Presumably you do not let your children play in play areas with tyre crumb surfaces?

I live in the countryside in a small housing estate with about 10 houses all with large gardens. We're surrounded by fields.

It's not easy to have a neat garden because lots of things selfseed. So most of our neighbours have natural gardens with dandelions, clover, etc. We've got lots of poppies this year which is lovely.

We are not in the UK and the gardens are teeming with birds, lizards, etc and it gets hot here in summer (like 34 - 39 degrees).

Our neighbours have just build a small swimming pool and surrounded it with plastic fake grass. Surely it will be too hot to sit / walk on in the summer?

They're whole garden is basically covered in plastic now as all their borders and flower beds have that plastic sheeting stuff that prevents weeds growing.

It all just looks fake and nasty. Why come and live in the countryside if you want to kill off all the nature in your garden???

It's incredibly annoying when people ask you to provide them with peer reviewed reports and then diss every source you give them. You can just google "Chrysene artificial grass" and you get pages and pages of reports highlighting the dangers of this. You can then select which ones you find factual and academic enough rather than me scrolling through hundreds of them trying to figure out which ones you would be content with.

My kids are grown and don't play in tyre crumb surfaces or anywhere else. A lot of parents who have artificial grass though get it so that the kids can play on it all year around and they don't realise what it is doing to their children. This thread is all about warning people about the adverse effects artificial grass has on people who frequently use it and its surroundings.

This doesn’t sound like an awareness spreading post, it’s just slagging people off.

I’ve got it, and it’s turned what was an unusable space any time it was wet, into something the kids can play on all year round.