Is Artificial Turf Safe? | Answers to Your Questions

Frequently, our customers ask us, “Is artificial turf safe?” Although this concern may be widespread, it is certainly unfounded. Rumors that artificial turf contains dangerous chemicals and can lead to cancer are simply untrue. The adoption of new technology throughout the industry has made grass and associated products healthy and safe. We’re definitely confident in the safety and quality of our product, so, in this post, we’re answering common questions about what is and isn’t in our turf.

Is artificial turf safe? Is there lead in it?

Lead

PG turf is tested in the U.S. and verified LEAD FREE.

During the early years of artificial grass, the unhealthy effects of lead were not fully understood, and regulations to control lead content in artificial turf products hadn’t yet been enacted. So, quite a bit of lead was used to help the grass retain its color. However, as the effects of lead became better understood and laws were put in place to protect consumers, healthier, superior technologies were developed. Over time, they’ve improved, and today, the lead content of all artificial turf sold in the U.S. is typically well below the maximum legal content. Our turf has undergone extensive testing here in the U.S. and is verified lead free. We’re pretty proud of that! We have a full breakdown of our product lead test results available for download.

Chemical Allergens

PG Turf is hypo-allergenic.

Because most artificial turf is hypoallergenic, it’s commonly preferred by people who have allergies to grass. Turf contains no chemicals that are known to cause allergic reactions on contact and, under normal conditions, doesn’t break down into airborne particles that can be inhaled. If you or someone in your household has allergies or a sensitive respiratory system, artificial turf is a safe bet.

Aren’t there toxic chemicals in infill?

Crumb rubber infill

Infill technology has come a very long way since the days of crumb rubber (pictured above). Of course, you can still find crumb rubber in some installations, but at Purchase Green, we avoid it altogether. It gets too hot and contains too many dangerous chemicals we’re not comfortable offering to our customers. Why, then, do several of our infills carry a Proposition 65 warning? Here’s why they’re still safe.

Silica

Crystalline Silica is a known carcinogen. In raw sand form, it can produce dust, which can be inhaled. However, our silica sand is thoroughly encapsulated in a coating that prevents any of the silica from escaping or coming into contact with the outside world. So, although we legally have to carry a Prop 65 warning, our silica sand is a safe, cost-effective and popular solution for many types of turf applications. See this product’s MSDS for more a complete report.

Are turf cleaning agents safe?

Turf Bomb antimicrobial & scent-masking turf cleaner

Antimicrobial Spores

The spores in Turf Bomb have been shown to pose no health threat whatsoever.

Turf Bomb is our top turf cleaning agent, featuring active antimicrobial spores that break down unwanted bacteria and emit tiny amounts of water and CO2. There is no need for chemicals like chlorine, bleach, and heavy metals, thanks to the action of the spores. You might ask, “It kills bacteria with bacteria? Isn’t that kind of like fighting fire with fire?” 

Well, the spores don’t actually kill other bacteria directly. Instead, they consume the food source, be that animal waste or other organics, leaving nothing for the harmful bacteria to eat. Then, they simply “shut off” when their job is done, going into a hibernation state. Because they pose no health threat to humans or animals, they can simply stay where they are and await reactivation. We have a full article on the science behind Turf Bomb here. It’s more like fighting fire with… well, cold fire, maybe? Hmm. The analogy needs some work.

In Conclusion

We hope this has cleared up some of your concerns and answered some of your questions surrounding the health and safety of artificial turf and related products. If you have any questions, give us a call or stop by your local store and one of our turf experts will be happy to help.