I WAS recently asked to sign a petition to get the Senedd to ban plastic grass, so I thought I’d take a look at the issues around artificial grass and its impact on the environment and wildlife.
Firstly, I decided to look at a few websites to understand why artificial grass has become so popular. The grass can be made of polypropylene, nylon, or polyethylene and it seems that minimal maintenance is the main selling point, as manufacturers point out you don’t need to water, mow, or weed it. Other benefits highlighted include it being drought resistant, doesn’t need fertilisers, stops puddling and is able to stand up to heavy use.
Following my research, the negative impacts on the environment I found far outweigh any of the potential benefits forwarded by plastic grass producers. Artificial grass creates a sterile environment devoid of natural life and can kill much of the soil life underneath it, limiting opportunities for insects and other creatures to thrive. Alternatively grass lawns, especially those rich in wildflowers, support biodiversity and are crucial for wildlife survival.
The manufacturing process for artificial grass also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, primarily due to the production processes involved. Natural grass, however, can absorb more carbon into the soil, storing it in roots, helping reduce the amount of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Despite claims that it is maintenance-free you still need to remove litter, weeds and moss growth, possibly replacing mowing with vacuuming. If you have real grass then leaving patches of grassy areas to grow longer or reducing mowing frequency and taking part in events like Plantlife’s #NoMowMay campaign not only allows native flowers to bloom for bees and butterflies but also provides shelter for small mammals. It also saves you the time and effort of frequent mowing.
During heatwaves, plastic lawns can become uncomfortably hot. This ability to retain heat also contributes to what’s called the ‘heat island’ effect, where urban areas become hotter than rural ones causing detrimental effects on human health and the environment.
There is also the issue that the shelf life for artificial grass is estimated to be 10 to 20 years and the product is difficult to reuse. Although it can be recycled, this is not easy and can only be done at specialist plants after a specific cleaning process. Of course, over time it sheds microplastics which can be harmful to the environment and animal health.
Whilst I recognise that there may be specific use cases for artificial grass (such as sports pitches), having real grass lawns is better for nature. They support wildlife, absorb carbon, and provide a connection to the natural world. So, I’ll be signing the petition as a way of getting the full facts out to householders about the damage artificial grass does to our environment and wildlife.
By Brian Mayne
- The views expressed by columnists of this newspaper do not necessarily reflect the views of the Glamorgan Star, its employees or its proprietors.
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