‘We’re running out of space’: Turf wars heat up over synthetic grass

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Critics say synthetic grass overheats and leaches plastic and rubber into Melbourne’s waterways, but they offer councils an easy solution to the sporting needs of a growing population

Locals at Hosken Reserve in Coburg North, who don’t want it covered in synthetic grass.A similar conflict played out in Boroondara, where the council decided not to lay fake grass at Dorothy Laver Reserve.

Cr Conlan argued it all came down to a state planning failure — that synthetic ovals wouldn’t be needed to sustain twice as much sport if there was enough open space for everyone.Infrared image shows heat at a western Sydney playground taken in January 2020, with temperatures notching 90 degrees on the unshaded synthetic grass“I think we can minimise the tension between [passive park users and organised sport] by simply investing in more parks.

Unshaded plastic grass gets so hot there are already summer days that are unsafe for sports, which is likely to become more frequent as climate change worsens. It also radiates heat at night, and could raise the air temperature by two to three degrees, compared to natural grass which has a cooling effect.

 

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Most people dont want the kind of density pushed by property developers and sell out govts. In any case private developers take all the profits while the community is left to deal with the problem. Push back against development.

Soon we wont need it, the little darlings are lazier than the current snowflakes

Give the sports people shovels and get them out reforesting the sporting fields for the good of the planet.

Synthetic grass is terrible. It gets so hot in summer. If you have pets, not only is it hot on the feet, it stinks if they piddle or poop on it. You can't just hose it you need to use something to get rid of smell.

A bad move for coping with climate change. Check passive irrigation at

Synthetic turf is disgusting.

Plenty of space in every new estate. Councils would rather approve more tiny blocks of land though. Makes them more money.

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