Santa Clara County Board Rejects Artificial Turf Ban
By Anna Yue 2/12/2025
First created in the late 1950s, artificial turf—a fake grass surface typically made of synthetic plastic like nylon, polypropylene or polyethylene—has been a popular option for those who desire the function of natural grass without its maintenance efforts. However, some have begun to call out its environmental and health impacts. A recent proposal to ban new artificial turf installations on Santa Clara County grounds tipped the balance as activists from both sides advocated for their beliefs—and on Jan. 28, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to reject both a total turf ban and a turf ban with exceptions on athletic fields.
During an initial county board meeting on Apr. 12, 2024, the supervisors voted to study the effects of artificial turf on county land. Since then, community members supporting and opposing the ban garnered support through methods such as sending emails to the city council, holding webinars and organizing petitions; on decision day, over 100 individuals from various backgrounds expressed their thoughts during the meeting, KQED stated.
Supporters of artificial turf advocate that these fields require lower maintenance and are capable of longer playtime. On the other hand, natural grass cannot operate during some winter climates and demands higher maintenance costs and resources—like water, fertilizers and pesticides. This can be more efficient for many in the state of California, where drought is a common occurrence.
“Our nonprofit youth sports organization provides a variety of accessible and affordable soccer-related programs to over 1,800 kids and relies heavily on public fields. It is impossible for us to purchase land to build fields, so the sad reality is that in our city of 150,000 people, there is only one public field open between December and March due to the rainy season in winter, and that field is our artificial turf field,” Damon James, President of the Sunnyvale Alliance Soccer Club, said.
Yet the benefits of artificial turf fields do not come without a cost. Turf ban supporters like Cortney Jansen, co-founder of Community For Natural Play Surfaces, critique the hazardous and potentially cancer-inducing chemicals that are necessary in turf’s production process, the lack of methods to effectively recycle turf and the maintenance cost that is arguably comparable with natural grass (most turf fields are recommended by their user manuals to be replaced every 8 to 10 years). Specifically, Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)—human-made chemicals that are difficult and slow to break down, hence the nickname “forever chemicals”—are found in most artificial turf.
“My daughter used to play soccer, and I would hate to think she's been exposed to cancer-inducing chemicals,” Linda Hutchins-Knowles, co-founder and team coordinator of activist group Mothers Out Front Silicon Valley, said.
However, James cites a recent incident in Irvine City to exemplify that non-PFAS turf alternatives exist and have been validated by a local government. On June 13, 2023, the Irvine City Council approved and funded the installation of four artificial turf fields that utilized a reportedly PFAs-free coconut fiber base at the Irvine Great Parks Sports Complex. This transition away from traditional natural grass approximated 1,500 more hours of usage and a $1 million reduction in maintenance cost, per New University, the official campus newspaper of the University of California, Irvine.
Sophomore Kasey Hashiguchi, a Lacrosse and Flag Football athlete from the school, has had mixed experiences with the types of fields.
“Grass surface is often uneven, distracting me from the game because I am always worried about twisting my ankle or getting hurt. However, in some instances, playing on grass can be safer, especially for turf burns; hot temperatures also often cause turf to leave a burning sensation on my feet,” Hashiguchi said.
Despite persistent disputes between both sides of the issue, each group found their advocacy process a rewarding experience.
“It was a fun and collaborative process. We held a poster-making party with music, food and snacks, and invited the community to come make posters with us. Kids and parents showed up and made really creative posters, making it intergenerational,” Hutchins-Knowles said.
As this issue remains open for future debate or legislation under the recent vote, artificial turf supporter and former soccer coach Sandra Todd leaves the county residents with the reminder to be aware of the nuance of the issue.
“I support artificial turf, but I see the flaws in artificial turf, and I also see the benefits of natural fields. Our true concern should be improving plastic turf and allocating the appropriate usage for both fields. As soon as we try to make a complex issue about one single thing, black and white, we lose the ability to make good decisions, and we lose the ability to have good discourse,” Todd said.
About the Contributors
Anna Yue
Writer
Anna Yue, page editor for the Entertainment and Lifestyle, is a second-year Journalism student who has greatly enjoyed the class's collaborative process. She enjoys all sorts of food and loves cute fluffy animals. She loves sleeping and hanging out with friends.
Helen Ruan
Artist
I like music and art.
