This information reflects our best understanding of product composition in 2020.
Synthetic turf can be used as a replacement for natural grass for landscaping and athletic field surfaces. Its composition is similar to that of carpet. The artificial grass fibers are generally made from polyethylene, polypropylene, or nylon. The...
Synthetic turf can be used as a replacement for natural grass for landscaping and athletic field surfaces. Its composition is similar to that of carpet. The artificial grass fibers are generally made from polyethylene, polypropylene, or nylon. The fibers are either woven into or tufted through a mesh fabric backing. In the tufted method, fibers are secured in place with a secondary backing, or coating. Depending on performance requirements, additional backing layers can be applied to the secondary backing, but these are beyond the scope of this Common Product (CP). The secondary backing may have holes punched into it to allow for water drainage (perforated) or it may be composed of a woven geotextile backing that is melted onto the primary backing (non-perforated). This CP covers products intended for use in athletic fields with a perforated backing.
Additional components may be added to the turf, such as a fiberglass scrim to reduce stretching, or creep, and shock absorbing underlayments. Though not covered by this CP, each additional component has potential to introduce additional hazards. Athletic fields also have a base system composed of materials such as crushed aggregate and a drainage system. These systems will vary depending on native soil conditions and are beyond the scope of this CP.
Synthetic turf typically requires the use of infill materials, which are small granules that are added on top of the backing to keep the fibers upright, add weight, and provide cushioning. The amount of infill applied to the turf can vary from less than one lb/ft² to over nine lbs/ft². It is common to mix sand and other synthetic infills. Both the weight of infill and the mix ratio will vary by the application. This CP covers synthetic turf intended for athletic fields, containing infill weighing about 6 lbs/ft² and composed of 50% crumb rubber and 50% sand by weight.
Synthetic turf panel seams are either glued or sewn together, or they may be attached using hook and loop fasteners. Adhesives used during installation may add additional hazards that are not covered by this CP. Likewise, this CP does not consider any treatments that are applied to the turf, which could add additional hazards. For example, optional biocide treatments are available to protect against mold, mildew, or algae. Outdoor surfaces would likely not require such a coating because exposure to sunlight would likely be sufficient to kill these microorganisms. None of the sources indicated that a stain resistant treatment was applied to the fibers, similar to the PFAS treatment typically seen in carpets, although one source sampled turf fiber and identified the presence of PFAS. PFAS can be used as an anti-stick agent in equipment used in the extrusion process for the fibers, so some residual PFAS may be present in turf fibers as a result.
This is not necessarily representative of all possible content that may be found in this product type. It includes all of the potential content identified during the research process for this Common Product profile. All Content data goes beyond the most common chemicals and materials to provide a more comprehensive representation of what may be found in specific product types. It does not necessarily include all chemicals and materials that may be used by all manufacturers and should not be used as a replacement for a specific manufacturer's product disclosure.
About Process Chemistry
Pharos process chemistry does not necessarily represent all chemicals that may be
used in the production of a chemical or material and may list chemicals that are not
used in all manufacturers' processes. We recommend using Pharos process chemistry as a
starting point in conversations with product manufacturers and chemical suppliers to
determine process chemicals that are relevant to specific products, including known
and potential impurities and residuals. For more information see the
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Transformation Target
GreenScreen Score
What are Common Products?
A Common Product profile (CP) is a list of substances that are most commonly present in a product type (vinyl composition tile, for example) as delivered to building sites in North America. The profiles are not specific to any manufacturer.
CPs are organized by chemical function. Every substance in a product performs some function - for example, it thickens a paint, or gives a carpet resistance to stains. The CPs provide the most common substance serving each function in a given product type, the hazards these substances carry into a building project, and a general description of the product type. CPs are based upon a wide range of publicly available information, including product declarations, patents, and chemical suppliers' brochures that detail the functional uses of various additives.
For those wanting more than the most common chemical for each function, Pharos subscriptions provide access to the full catalog of possible ingredients that we’ve found may be in products. Where available, these are displayed in the All Contents tab.
The GreenScreen® for Safer Chemicals™ is a benchmarking system to rank the safety of chemicals on a 4 point hazard scale and encourage progress toward safer alternatives. Chemicals that have undergone a full GreenScreen® Assessment™ by Licensed GreenScreen Profilers are given a GreenScreen Benchmark™ score, which is the most authoritative. Chemicals that have been screened using an automated comparison to hazard lists are given a GreenScreen List Translator™ score, which is less authoritative. Full GreenScreen Assessments trump results from List Translator scoring.
GreenScreen scores in order from highest concern to lowest concern are: