Green Services Direct

Turf wars: plastic grass or the real thing?

Sales of fake grass, also known as artificial turf, are booming. Artificial turf has surged in popularity due to its increasingly realistic appearance and low maintenance. The industry reckons more than eight million square metres of plastic grass are sold each year, which is about three times the size of the City of London. Eco experts believe artificial grass is an environmental disaster and are campaigning to have it banned, but suppliers argue it can help to conserve water and reduce the need for pesticides and fertilizers. So, where do you stand in the turf wars?

Why use fake grass?

Many people struggle to maintain a lush lawn. Landscaper Joe Swift argues sometimes artificial grass is the best answer. In an article for The Times, he said: “Many people struggle to maintain a real lawn and years later after re-seeding or relaying turf several times, still end up being frustrated by the poor result. Sometimes in gardening you just have to admit defeat and look for alternatives.” A real lawn usually fails because it in in a shady spot, has poor drainage beneath or is simply too small for excessive wear which causes compaction. Often it is a combination of all these factors. So why not use fake grass, he asks.

Pros of artificial lawns

Manicured, high-maintenance lawns aren’t ideal for the planet. They require regular treatment with chemical feeds which are often harmful to the environment, mowing with fossil-fuel or electric mowers and regular watering to keep them looking green in summer. In contrast, plastic grass doesn’t need feeding, cutting or watering. Artificial turf requires very little maintenance, is drought resistant, stands up to heavy use and is safe for children and pet, say suppliers.

Some people find fake grass more aesthetically pleasing than the real thing. With plastic grass, there aren’t any daisies or dandelions (or butterflies or bees) to disturb the forever green surface. It can be ‘Love Island’ perfect. And artificial turf can be used out where real grass struggles, such as shady spots or areas with poor drainage or soil quality.

And the cons?

Fake grass is a wildlife vacuum.  Roll one out and you’re destroying whatever natural habitat your real lawn had in one fell swoop.  Artificial grass doesn’t provide any food for visiting hedgehogs, birds or bees. It restricts access to the soil beneath for burrowing insects and to the ground above for worms. There is already a catastrophic global decline in insect species. The solution is not to smother the planet in yet more plastic. What’s more fake grass can be harmful to any wildlife that eats it, causing potentially fatal blockages in the digestive tract, warns the RSPB.

Fake grass is made from petroleum-based plastics. It has a large carbon footprint during its while product lifecycle, including production, transport and disposal. The synthetic fibres that make up the blades of ‘grass’ are typically made of nylon, polyethylene or polypropylene. Fragments from this material can make their way into the soil and water supply in the form of microplastic pollution.

Plastic lawns can overheat in summer making them unusable for pets and people. Artificial grass can contribute to global warming by absorbing significantly more radiation than real grass and, to a lesser extent, by displacing living plants that could remove carbon dioxide by photosynthesis.

The shelf life for artificial turf is about 10-20 years. The product isn’t biodegradable or recyclable. Instead, the plastic grass will go to landfill where it can take hundreds of years to decompose or be incinerated which is also harmful to the environment. After ditching disposable plastic bags to save the planet, why cover our gardens with the stuff?

Fake grass is not totally maintenance free. Suppliers recommend regular brushing to keep the fibres upright and to prevent matting, potentially replacing mowing with vacuuming. Regular hosing or specialised artificial turf cleaner is needed to keep the grass looking clean and fresh, using both water and chemicals. Otherwise, dirt, debris and organic material can build up on the surface of the turf which can lead to discolouration and odours.

Finally, some people argue fake grass isn’t as safe as real grass. It can harbour bacteria and other microorganisms which can be harmful to human health.

Green washing and campaign to ban fake grass

 In addition to the ecological and climate change risks, artificial turf causes an “unhealthy disconnect from nature”, says Plastic Rebellion which is campaigning for a government ban. We lose the sensory and tactile  benefits of real grass. Children can’t play on a soft lawn and make a daisy chain or pluck a real blade of grass to whistle with.

In Portsmouth, a new-build estate hit the headlines as all 12 townhouses came with immaculate fake lawns. Michael Gove is considering restrictions on artificial lawns in housing developments as part of his new role as the Communities Secretary. This means local authorities will be able to block housebuilders from laying fake grass.   

In the meantime, suppliers of artificial grass have been ordered to stop describing their products as eco-friendly. The Advertising Standards Authority is cracking down on firms that make this claim after criticising a leading supplier for saying one of its products was “eco” with no evidence to back it up.  The supplier was told to stop claiming its fake grass is “recyclable” as currently there are no facilities in Britain which can recycle it. 

Despite the ruling, some suppliers are still marketing their artificial turf is eco-friendly and 100% recyclable, a quick Google search reveals. Plastics Rebellion has described the claims as “greenwashing.” The eco-campaigners say it doesn’t matter if something is recyclable in principle. If the facilities don’t exist, the product isn’t recyclable.

Eco-alternatives to fake grass

Gardens are loosening up; the latest trend is to leave your lawn unmown and add wildflowers for interest. Chelsea Flower Show banned fake grass in 2022. Welcome weeds and let them flower, say gardening experts. The pristine, bowling green aesthetic is on the way out. Mimicking it with artificial turf is not only naff but it’s environmentally disastrous. 

Gardens are beautiful precisely because they are full of life with a changing colour palette throughout the seasons. Stick to real grass (albeit with bare patches) and know you’re doing your bit for biodiversity and the planet. It doesn’t matter if your lawn becomes brown in summer, it will recover after rain. Don’t waste water on real grass – it’s a precious resource.