10 Significant Pros and Cons of Artificial Grass

For yard owners, either the grass is greener in their side of the fence or it isn’t. Those who want low maintenance turf would right away go for the unnatural grass where there is virtually no mowing, no watering, no applying of fertilizer, no whatnots. But there’s a not-so greener side of synthetic grass that yard owners need to know. Here, we’ll try to understand the pros and cons of artificial grass as a first step to deciding whether it’s the best turf or not.

List of Pros of Artificial Grass

1. It requires very little maintenance.
All you need is to prep the space, lay down the synthetic lawn and voila! You have a green, perfectly manicured lawn. You can practically enjoy this evergreen beauty and never have to worry about weeding or mowing ever again. If a patch gets destroyed, you simply replace it with a new patch.

2. It does not need pesticide or fertilizer.
Because your lawn is made of synthetic grass, it does not require you to apply any pesticide or fertilizer. You don’t have to worry about your yard turning bald and brown. It’s always green and lush, and ready to provide you with a space for entertaining guests or for family fun.

3. It does not need water.
Well, it does need a couple of splashes for cleaning up, but not for watering the grass to keep it alive. The grass is, after all, non-organic and non-living, so it does not need watering.

4. It is long lasting and durable.
Unlike natural grass dies and withers with prolonged use, artificial grass provides longer playability. No need to place those rather offensive signs that say: Keep Off the Grass. Anyone, even pets and kids can play on your yard without you worrying about it having slippery patches of mud or loose soil.

5. It helps prevent slips and falls.
As long as there is turf cover on your yard, it remains playable. Grass keeps slips and falls less disastrous, especially for athletic people and playful tots. The artificial turf serves as cushion.

List of Cons of Artificial Grass

1. It contains hazardous chemicals.
Most artificial grass contains harmful levels of lead and zinc. Exposure to high levels of lead heightens risk of severe mental retardation, stunted growth and death, while exposure to high levels of zinc causes cardiovascular problems.

2. It’s harmful chemicals may cause toxic runoff.
During rain or cleaning, some of the harmful chemicals contained in the artificial turf drains off to public sewage systems, which may contaminate ground and drinking water.

3. It poses other health risks.
Exposure to synthetic grass has health risks including asthma and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which starts as ordinary lesions or boils and turns into deep abscesses.

Dust particles from artificial grass exacerbate respiratory problems like asthma. Artificial grass is often made from ground up tires, which creates air-borne dust that becomes harmful when inhaled.

4. It is ideal habitat for bacteria.
Failure to clean or wash artificial lawns promotes bacteria to thrive, especially staph that causes MRSA and staphylococci. These bacteria live on polyethylene plastic for more than 90 days and cause various forms of infections.

5. It always looks artificial, no matter what.
No matter how natural-looking synthetic grass may be, it will always remain synthetic. Over time, it will lose its natural appeal and will become plain plastic and dull. It does not provide cool, oxygen-rich space that natural grasses do. In fact, it aggravates the heat during a hot day.

So there you have it – the pros and cons of artificial grass. If you want low-maintenance, non-slippery turf – go artificial. If you want a healthier option – go natural.