In the past several years, homeowners in California have opted to exchange natural grass for synthetic turf, which has been seen as a year-round drought-resistant green grass option of which many neighbors would be envious.
However, Gov. Gavin Newsom recently signed legislation that permits local governments, including cities and counties, to ban synthetic grass in neighborhoods due to potential health concerns.
“There are no short number of microplastics that come with these products,” said Dianne Woelke, a retired nurse who is part of Safe Healthy Playing Fields. “They continue to degrade. They continue to leach out all of these PFAs and other chemicals.”
Woelke has spent years collecting information related to the health concerns that come from synthetic turf. She said not only are there PFAs (also known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and microplastics, but the fake grass can create a heat island effect and blades can hold onto bacteria, especially on large-scale sport fields.
“Our kids and their grandkids are going to inherit what we leave them as far as the environmental disaster we’re creating,” Woelke said.
PFAs are long-lasting chemicals that are widely used, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. They have been found in water, air, fish and soil at locations throughout the world, not just in the U.S.
“People need to understand that these kinds of risks also apply if kids are playing on their lawns at home,” Woelke said.