Smarter, Safer, and More Sustainable Fields
Evidence-Based Facts from the “Smarter Natural Grass” Webinar
Hosted by Resilient Palisades – November 3, 2025
Purpose: To share science-based information about the health, environmental, and economic
impacts of synthetic turf — and the proven, sustainable alternatives that protect our kids, our
community, and our coastline.
HEALTH & SAFETY
Speaker: Amy Griffin, U.S. Deaf Women’s National Team
● No safety studies: Despite decades of use, no independent epidemiological study has
proven artificial turf is safe for children or athletes.
● Injury risk: Higher rates of concussions, heat illness, and “turf burns,” which can
become infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria (including MRSA).
● Cancer connections: Hundreds of documented cases of blood cancers among young
soccer players—especially goalkeepers—who have long, close contact with synthetic
turf infill made from ground-up tires containing carcinogens and PFAS “forever
chemicals.” (Note: Though crumb rubber is not being used in some new artificial turf
options, crumb rubber does not account for all the chemical exposers. The blades of
artificial turf are comprised of polyethylene and polypropylene, which are made from
petroleum and natural gas.
Note on “non-toxic” infills:
Some newer synthetic turf products use alternative infills such as cork, coconut fiber, sand, or thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) instead of crumb rubber and are marketed as “eco-friendly” or “PFAS-free.” Independent testing, however, has detected PFAS, heavy metals, and microplastics in many of these newer materials as well. Regardless of the infill used, all artificial turf systems are made of petroleum-based plastics that shed microplastics, create extreme surface heat, and require frequent disinfection. No independent research has shown these new infills to be non-toxic or safe for long-term use.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Speaker: Dianne Woelke, Safe Healthy Playing Fields
● Microplastics: Each field sheds 2,000–3,000 lbs. of plastic blades every year,
contributing up to 25% of near-surface microplastics in waterways.
● Toxins: Synthetic turf releases heavy metals, and other hazardous chemicals that
contaminate soil, air, and water.
● Heat islands: Turf can reach 160–200°F, emitting methane, CO₂, and ethylene gases
that accelerate climate change and create burn hazards.
● Non-recyclable waste: Old fields are piling up in landfills and illegal dumps across
California. Most are ultimately burned or abandoned, releasing toxic fumes.
● Wildfire & runoff risk: Turf increases heat, by creating a ‘heat island effect’, runoff, and
impervious surface area — all worsening local fire and landslide threats.
WATER QUALITY & SUPPLY
Speaker: Kelly Shannon, LA Waterkeeper
● Runoff pollution: Artificial turf prevents stormwater infiltration and sends contaminated
runoff—laden with microplastics, lead, and zinc—into storm drains, rivers, and the
ocean.
● Groundwater contamination: When water does infiltrate, it carries these toxins into
drinking-water aquifers.
● False “water savings”: Turf requires regular hosing with potable water to clean the
surface, as well as to cool it during extreme heat waves—offsetting any supposed
savings and wasting clean water.
SUSTAINABLE TURF MANAGEMENT
Speaker: Rika Gopinath, Beyond Pesticides
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Proven alternatives: Cities across the U.S. are managing natural grass fields successfully without synthetic fertilizers or pesticides using a soil-biology-based approach (See here and here).
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Healthy soil = healthy grass: Organically managed turf grows denser, deeper-rooted grass that needs 25–35% less water and 25% lower long-term maintenance costs.
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Case studies: Communities from California to Colorado, Massachusetts and more are reporting stronger, safer, longer-lasting natural grass playfields. ( See here and here).
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Safety testing: Artificial fields should be impact tested regularly and without required maintenance, can lose shock absorption, raising concussion risk and replacement costs.
COST & PERFORMANCE
Speaker: Jeff Beardsley, Beardsley Consulting
● Renovation Cost: In 2025, a 70,000 sq. ft. multi-use sports field renovation using
natural turf was completed at a cost of $1.57 per sq. ft. This cost included temporary
security fence rental, herbicide treatment for weed removal, 12-inch deep rototilling,
laser-level grading, removal and reinstallation of sprinkler heads, and installation of new
Hybrid Bermuda sod.
● Soil Restoration: The implementation of enhanced cultural maintenance programs—
including core aeration, solid deep-tine aeration, verticutting, and sand
topdressing—along with the use of bridge fertilizers, significantly improved soil biology,
resulting in healthier turf and reduced input requirements over time.
● Comparable maintenance: Organic management costs roughly $0.48–$0.55 per
square foot, similar to or less than the current Palisades budget.
● Long-term savings: Artificial turf must be replaced every 8–10 years, costing up to 10×
more to install and remove than natural grass.
SMARTER SOD & NATIVE SOLUTIONS
Speaker: Robert Sjoquist, Soils Solutions
● Native and drought-tolerant sods: California-developed hybrids use 50–80% less
water and thrive under local sun and soil conditions.
● Ecosystem benefits: Natural grass absorbs water, cools the air, supports soil biology,
and reduces runoff into Potrero Canyon and the Pacific Ocean.
● Human health: The “smell of cut grass” releases natural plant compounds that calm and
connect us to our environment—something no plastic field can replicate.
CONCLUSIONS
● Synthetic turf is a toxic, heat-emitting, microplastic-shedding, non-recyclable
petrochemical product that threatens both human and environmental health.
● Organically managed natural grass provides safe, cost-effective, and sustainable
playfields—cooler for kids, cleaner for the ocean, and better for public health.
● Across the U.S. and Europe, cities and sports organizations are moving toward PFAS-
free, regenerative, soil-based solutions.
● There are sports fields in Los Angeles and other If Scottsdale, Arizona and professional
teams like the San Francisco Giants can do it, so can Pacific Palisades.
THANK YOU
Resilient Palisades extends our deepest gratitude to all the experts who joined our Smarter
Natural Grass webinar:
Amy Griffin, U.S. Deaf Women’s National Soccer Team
Dianne Woelke, Safe Healthy Playing Fields
Kelly Shannon, LA Waterkeeper
Rika Gopinath, Beyond Pesticides
Jeff Beardsley, Beardsley Consulting
Robert Sjoquist, Soils Solutions
And to the many community members who tuned in, asked questions, and continue to
advocate for safe, healthy, and sustainable parks.
Together, we can Preserve the Dream — and keep our park naturally green.
Below is the full, expanded version of the presentations shared during the webinar.
Smarter Natural Grass — Webinar
Presentation (Edited Transcript)
Hosted by Resilient Palisades — November 3, 2025
Edits: Filler words lightly removed; grammar smoothed; non-presentation dialogue omitted.
Opening — Kari Weaver (Resilient Palisades)
Welcome, everyone. On behalf of Resilient Palisades, thank you for joining this discussion on
sustainable field management and the future of our community park. Tonight’s program,
“Smarter Natural Grass,” brings together experts in public health, environmental protection, and
sustainable turf management to explore evidence-based approaches to maintaining safe,
resilient, and environmentally responsible natural grass fields.
Our first topic is health and safety. I’d like to welcome Amy Griffin, a former U.S. Women’s
National Team player and longtime coach who has raised awareness about potential health
risks of synthetic turf since 2009.
Health & Safety — Amy Griffin (U.S. Deaf Women’s
National Team)
I coached the same demographic of athletes on the same fields for 24 years. For the first 16
years, I didn’t personally know any young players with cancer. Then two goalkeepers I coached
developed lymphoma. Goalkeepers, in training, hit the ground face-first dozens of times per
session, getting black rubber infill (“the dots”) in their eyes, mouths, and open scrapes.
Trying to reassure them, I went to colleagues at the University of Washington. What I learned
was alarming: the infill comes from ground-up tires that contain carcinogens and other toxic
chemicals. Tires are regulated as hazardous waste—yet here they are on children’s fields.
I began keeping a list of players with cancer that I personally knew. That list—now nearing
300—has made national and international news. Roughly 59–61% of the soccer players on the
list are goalkeepers. Most cancers are blood-related, and the average age at diagnosis is
12–22, far younger than typical. There’s even a 14-year-old with lung cancer.
Despite the scale of synthetic turf deployment, there’s no epidemiological study proving it’s safe.
Meanwhile, we see mounting red flags: fields aging and shedding, stockpiles of rolled-up turf
near waterways, and documented harm to salmon from tire-related chemicals. When the data
matches the lived experience of families and athletes, we need to take it seriously.
Environmental Public Health Impacts — Dianne Woelke
(Safe Healthy Playing Fields)
Safe Healthy Playing Fields supports banning synthetic turf and replacing it with nature-based
solutions—specifically drought-tolerant hybrid Bermudagrasses managed regeneratively with
organic practices and zero-emission equipment.
Key points:
● Microplastics & PFAS: New and relatively new fields are already shedding green
plastic blades. These microplastics disperse into air, soil, and water and act
synergistically with PFAS (“forever chemicals”). Synthetic turf shows age-related cancer
risk signals in emerging research.
● Heat island & emissions: Synthetic fields get extremely hot—180–200°F has been
recorded—creating burn hazards and visible heat islands. Plastics off-gas methane,
ethylene, and CO₂ and contribute substantially to greenhouse emissions.
● Annual shedding: Each field loses an estimated 2,000–3,000 pounds of microplastic
blades per year. Blades can constitute 12–15% of microplastics in waterways and
oceans and up to 25% in near-surface waters.
● Fire and landslide risk: Turf systems behave as impervious surfaces, worsening runoff,
heat, and related hazards.
● Material failure: Examples include melting and deformation even on temperate days;
satellite and FLIR imaging show stark heat contrasts compared with natural grass and
native landscapes.
● Combustibility & toxins: Fields can and do burn, releasing toxic chemicals.
Researchers are investigating links between synthetic turf and contaminants like
hexavalent chromium and silver nanoparticles in fire zones.
● Infectious risk & injuries: Higher incidence of high-school sports injuries on synthetic
turf; friction burns allow bacterial infections (including MRSA). Concussion risk is higher;
younger children are particularly vulnerable.
● Non-recyclable waste: “Recycling” claims rarely hold up. Across California and the
U.S., old turf is stockpiled, dumped, or shipped to be burned. Numerous sites have been
documented near rivers and schools.
Across the country there are moratoria, lawsuits, and growing scrutiny—including an EU
investigation into the “synthetic turf cartel.” California’s DTSC is moving toward regulation.
Communities are choosing grass—with modern organic management—to address the industry’s
talking points about maintenance and playability.
Water Quality & Stormwater — Kelly Shannon (Associate
Director, LA Waterkeeper)
EPA studies have identified hundreds of chemicals in artificial turf’s rubber infill; many lack
toxicity data. We also see PFAS throughout the LA watershed and heavy metals in infill,
including arsenic, lead, zinc, cadmium, and chromium. Tires contain 6PPD; when transformed
to 6PPD-quinone, it is lethal to salmonids at near-100% mortality.
Runoff groundwater: Synthetic turf inhibits infiltration, generating polluted runoff that flows to
storm drains, rivers, and the ocean. As fields age and during climate-driven extremes,
degradation and discharge increase. Where water does infiltrate, contaminants can reach groundwater; most drinking water systems do not currently remove PFAS and similar emerging
contaminants without very costly treatment.
Water-savings fallacy: Artificial fields require regular hosing and cooling with potable water
during heat events. Over time, subgrade compaction further reduces infiltration—more runoff,
more pollution, and more wasted potable water. By contrast, organically managed natural grass
filters and retains water, reducing flooding and improving water quality.
Sustainable Field Management — Rika Gopinath (Beyond
Pesticides)
We help cities and universities transition to natural grass athletic fields without synthetic
pesticides or fertilizers, using a systems approach focused on soil biology.
Key practices & lessons:
● Use reality, not marketing: Artificial turf’s “24/7 use, no maintenance” claims don’t
match field closures for heat and the need for regular cleaning/disinfection. Impact safety
testing is essential; in real world usage, artificial fields can fail without following correct maintenance that matches high use, shortening their promised life span.
● Construction + maintenance: Performance depends on smart field construction
(drainage, soil profile) and a maintenance paradigm shift—zero synthetic inputs, feed the
soil, grow dense, deep-rooted turf. (See here).
● Results: Organically managed fields increasingly show 25–35% less water use and
~25% lower long-term maintenance costs. Carrying capacity (hours of play) improves
over time as soil health builds.
● Case studies: From Massachusetts to Colorado, natural grass complexes are meeting
or exceeding play demands—often serving multiple schools and tournaments—without
replacing sod. Independent case studies of organically managed grass municipal fields
show usage from 1,800 to over 2,300 hours annually.
● Cost comparison: A 2025 Sustainability published study comparing three options
(replace artificial turf; natural grass with conventional inputs; natural grass organic) found
organically managed natural grass had the lowest cumulative cost and best
environmental profile.
Professional teams are adopting soil-biology methods (e.g., at Oracle Park and MLS
venues). This approach scales to municipal budgets and benefits the broader community by
reducing heat, runoff, and chemical exposure.
Cost, Operations & Soil Health — Jeff Beardsley
(Beardsley Consulting)
With 30+ years in turf management, recent work has focused on large athletic complexes.
Program example (2 million sq ft):
● Baseline (conventional): two aerations, two synthetic fertilizations, post-emergent
herbicides + mowing/edging at $0.34/sq ft.
● Enhanced program: added two more aerations, verticutting, sand topdressing, and a
strategic pre-emergent (to break the reseeding cycle), increasing cost by $0.14/sq ft to
$0.48/sq ft.
Outcomes (3 years):
● Organic matter up ~45–65%; improved soil biology (validated by Soil Food Web lab);
lower phosphate accumulation; healthier, more resilient turf.
For Pacific Palisades’ ~2.74 acres (~107,593 sq ft), the stated maintenance budget
(~$60,000/yr) equates to about $0.55/sq ft. With the right construction and organic program,
natural grass is operationally feasible and cost-competitive—contrary to industry marketing.
Smarter Sod & Native Options — Robert Sjoquist (Soils
Solutions)
We partner with major California sod farms to develop native and specialty sports sods that use
50–80% less water and reduce maintenance. These farms also install and maintain elite
natural fields (Dodgers, Angels, Padres, 49ers, etc.) and have direct experience with the limits
of synthetic systems.
Key points:
● True costs: From bare dirt, installing artificial turf is about 10× the initial cost of properly
built natural grass. Claims of 12–15-year life rarely match reality; many fields become
poor quality within ~8 years under heavy use.
● Hydrology: Artificial turf severely limits infiltration, depleting local soil moisture and
complicating field replacement (subbase and sand layers must be removed). By
contrast, well-built natural fields restore infiltration and groundwater recharge.
● Ecosystem health: Coastal Mediterranean soils in the Palisades are rich in
biology—ideal for deep-rooted natural turf. Natural grass cools the air and releases plant
volatiles associated with human well-being—benefits plastic cannot provide.
● Safety & play: Natural grass “gives” underfoot, reducing joint and rotational injuries.
Major leagues and athletes increasingly demand real grass due to injury data and
playability.
● Policy gap: Unlike parking lots, artificial fields typically lack surrounding biofiltration
requirements despite known runoff contaminants.
Conclusion: Select site-appropriate drought-tolerant sods, build the field correctly, and manage
organically. This delivers safer play, lower long-term costs, better water outcomes, and tangible
public-health benefits.
Closing
Natural grass, built right and managed organically, offers a safer, cooler, and more
sustainable path for community playfields than synthetic turf. The evidence across health,
environment, water, cost, and performance strongly supports choosing soil-based solutions for
Pacific Palisades.