Homeowners wanting to create a beautiful lawn and garden need not stress themselves too much by getting all the living things they need — grass, plants and shrubs. They don’t have to go through the challenges of maintaining green and well manicured grass which can be costly and time consuming.
An alternative to the real grass is the synthetic grass. Also called the synthetic turf, this material is widely used today among many homes as well as sports fields, parks, school grounds and playgrounds.
Various benefits can be enjoyed when using the synthetic grass. Less maintenance is one and consistent green lawn all throughout the year is another. Being able to provide a safe playground for the kids is a major benefit to parents. Its other advantages are it helps prevent injuries because of the padding, it provides an even playing surface and uses no pesticides or fertilizers.
Amidst this wide use of the artificial grass, however, comes health concerns. It’s true that studies have found it to contain a certain level of toxic chemicals including lead and arsenic from the crumb rubber or recycled tires used in creating the faux grass. But experts point out they’re within safe levels. This means that the material can be safely used by humans without causing serious health conditions.
In addition, no studies have determined the specific health risks associated with regular exposure to the synthetic grass. So far, only laboratory studies have found that high levels of polycylic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) can cause cancer and organ damage in animals. Among humans, there have been no reports as of yet concerning the adverse effects of exposure to this synthetic yet valuable material.
The Synthetic Turf Council, for its part, has clarified that most manufacturers no longer use lead in creating this material.
Different suppliers of synthetic grass are in the market today. You can visit the Global Synthetic Grass website to learn more about this material for your lawns and gardens.
Photo via landscapinggallery.info
About the guest author:
Joel Hunter is a specialist in synthetic turf who knows the ins and outs of installing this material on sports fields and homes. He is connected with one of the leading suppliers in Perth, Australia. You can visit the Global Synthetic Grass Website for more details.
Originally posted on September 14, 2012 @ 3:25 pm