Artificial Turf

Selecting Safer Alternatives for Athletic Playing Fields

Frequently Asked Questions

We receive many questions from communities asking about the chemicals in artificial turf and safer alternatives. View our frequently asked questions page to read our answers. If your community is trying to make a decision about whether to install artificial turf or manage grass fields organically, the information on these web pages can help. Read our report Athletic Playing Fields: Choosing Safer Options for Health and the Environment. View all of our resources on this page.

Organically Managed Natural Grass is a Safer Alternative

TURI has identified organically managed natural grass as a safer alternative for sports surfaces. View the case studies below that have documented playable field hours and cost of maintenance for communities in Massachusetts. To learn how to transition to organic maintenance of grass athletic fields, TURI has also created an organic maintenance factsheet to help communities get started. 

Springfield, MA has managed its playing fields organically since 2014.	Marblehead, MA has managed its playing fields organically since 2002.
The Field Fund manages grass fields with organic practices and advanced technologies.	Communities in and near Pittsburgh use sustainable grass management on athletic fields.

Playgrounds

For information on chemical and other hazards related to playground surfacing and their safer alternatives, visit our Playground Surfacing page.