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  • Artificial turf can be recycled and reused.
Home > Blog > 2016 > October

Artificial Turf Goes Even More Green

October 27, 2016

The use of artificial turf has had widespread growth since it first hit the market. What was once just an option for sports fields is now showing up all over. Owners of music venues, hotels, commercial properties, and homes have all found uses for it. That said, some might wonder about the effects artificial turf has on the planet.

When an older product is replaced, the issue of what to do with it arises. Is its only fate the landfill? Not so with artificial turf. It already helps the planet in key ways. Unlike real grass, it doesn’t need to be watered. Less lawn care means less mowing, which pollutes the air. Now, some have even come up with smart ways to reuse it. They’ve built tools that can turn it into new plastic products. In the San Francisco Bay Area, local experts Watersavers Turf are proud to offer a line of fake grass that is good for customers and the planet.

Recycling Synthetic Turf

Mark Heinlein, president of a synthetic turf removal company, says, “We built equipment that’s designed specifically for removing and reclaiming the turf. Until recently, there wasn’t much else you could do with it [other than landfill it], so this is a huge step for the industry because we now have a solution.”

Although synthetic turf lasts for up-to 20 years, there are reasons why someone might want to remove it. Maybe a tenant is leaving, and the new tenant wants to redesign the lawn space. Perhaps an owner wants to add new features in some areas where the synthetic turf is installed. In any case, knowing that it can be recycled means knowing it can be removed without any harm being done to the planet.

New Uses for Fake Grass

Over the years, many have found smart new ways to use fake grass. It isn’t just for sports fields any longer. It can offer outdoor seating for a music venue. Fake Grass can even serve as a lounge space for a home. Resort hotels are using it to give guests spaces for outdoor fun. Now, people have also found ways to recycle faux grass into new products.

“We have built the equipment that allows us to extract all of that sand and rubber out of the carpet,” Heinlein says. “So now we’re back to having a clean plastic carpet that we can then put through the process to get to an end product.”

Heinlein’s group cleans the infill out of the faux grass and sends the result to Georgia. There, it’s ground up and made into pellets. This is then made into dog bowls, pallets, and other plastic products.

How Fake Grass Saves Water

Lawn care wastes a key resource—water. Keeping a lawn looking green and healthy means watering it. This is a wasteful use of water during a drought. That’s why some local leaders in the SF Bay Area are giving rebates to people who install fake grass on their lawns. By cutting down on lawn care needs, it can save billions of gallons of water a year.

Saving water isn’t the only way fake grass helps the planet. Taking care of a real grass lawn means mowing it often. A lot of people still use gas mowers. The problem is, these mowers emit harmful gasses into the air. Electric mowers are not much better. They still need energy to be useful. Fake grass is an option that doesn’t need to be mowed, keeps the air clean, and reduces energy usage.

Making the Switch to Artificial Grass

Recently, the sports field at the War Memorial Stadium, in Arkansas, was dug up. “We couldn’t be prouder that our surface will represent the first [artificial grass] field to be fully recycled,” says War Memorial GM Charlie Staggs.

Now that people have found ways to reuse artificial grass, there is no better time to make the switch. No matter what type of property you own, it will save you time and money on upkeep. It will also save water for the rest of the world, and cut down on your carbon footprint. We’re all looking to do our part for the planet these days. Making the switch to synthetic turf is a big way you can help.

If you’re looking to install a green option, SF Bay Area experts Watersavers Turf offer a line of artificial grass products that are perfect for your needs. For a free estimate visit us online, or call us at 844-974-8873. Be sure to stop by one of our locations as well for some free 1’ x 1’ samples. We’ll be happy to explain to you how to make the change.

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