Pittwater Online News

October 1-31, 2025: Issue 647

Synthetic turf: Myths vs the reality - Mona Vale forum to be held Thursday october 30, 7pm

Synthetic turf installed alongside Fern Creek in 2024 without consultation - not listed in POM either

Northern Beaches Greens will host a forum featuring experts discussing “The Myths vs Reality of Synthetic Turf”, at Mona Vale on October 30.

NBG convenor and Pittwater councillor Miranda Korzy said Northern Beaches Council already has synthetic turf playing fields at Frenchs Forest and Cromer, while more of these “all weather” surfaces are planned for other sites, including Narrabeen and Careel Bay.

Additionally, council has laid or is laying the material under outdoor gym equipment at Lyn Czinner Park, at Narrabeen, Warriewood, Bayview and Dunbar Park in Avalon.

”Speakers at this forum will discuss some of the myths about the so-called exceptional performance of synthetic turf vs problems with natural turf,” Ms Korzy said.

“They will expose the reality of the health and environmental impacts of this plastic grass, and how natural turf can be as long lasting and cheaper.

“A number of experts will address the forum, including soil scientist Mick Batten, NSW Greens MLC and environment spokesperson Sue Higginson, and a speaker from the Natural Turf Alliance.

“We invite all members of the community, and particularly those who use playing fields for soccer and other sports, to come along to hear the discussion and ask questions.”

The NSW government released the NSW chief scientist’s Synthetic Turf Study in June 2023, followed by its guidelines for “Synthetic turf sports fields in public open space,” last May.

Ms Korzy said these guidelines acknowledge the environmental and health problems created by synthetic turf, which is essentially composed of plastics, along with a variety of unknown impacts.

However, the guidelines conclude that due to population growth and “pressure on existing public open spaces” synthetic fields can be designed and managed “to support positive social outcomes”.

The free forum is open to all and will be held on October 30, from 7pm to 9pm, at Mona Vale Memorial Hall.

Background

In September 2023 AUSMAP, a nation-wide academics and university led citizen science initiative surveying Australian beaches for microplastic pollution, stated they have been working with a Council in Sydney’s north-west on quantifying net microplastic loss from a synthetic turf field and the efficacy of stormwater pit traps.

Sampling of four pit-baskets (200-micron mesh) and downstream stormwater nets under wet and dry conditions were used to assess the performance of stormwater mitigation measures. In addition, walk-off trials were conducted to determine microplastic loss on field users.

Preliminary results highlighted up to 70,000 particles of rubber crumb and over 50,000 particles of synthetic grass had been captured in a single trap sample.

Key findings from this investigation highlight 'extreme microplastic loss' from this surface that would enter the environment unabated without the presence of stormwater mitigation traps. The impact of such mitigation (and the varying approaches) is yet to be reported - and invariably, to date, are not common practice.

AUSMAP stated the results of the research, concessions of ‘significant knowledge gaps in key areas of concern’ acknowledged in the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineers (CSE’s) Final report, and mounting community concern, signify that the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineers (CSE’s) decision to adopt an accelerated ‘learn and adapt’ approach to synthetic fields in NSW is insufficient.

In an open letter to the government, AUSMAP asked the NSW government to take regulatory action to:

Impose a 5-year moratorium on new planning and approvals for synthetic grass fields.
Subject existing fields to pollution mitigation measures as soon as possible.
Urgently develop end-of-life pathways (recycling?) for fields that will not cause damage (their case study identifies the only one in Australia, which is 10 years old and with Australian conditions mean they have shorter lifespans than overseas cases).
Invest substantial effort into how to improve drainage and condition of natural grass fields to avoid synthetic grass.
Continue a research program including epidemiological or health risk studies, heat impacts, environmental impacts, chemical composition, stormwater discharge, microplastic loss etc.

AUSMAP are urging the government to follow stringent regulation in line with overseas developments, and in particular to follow the European Union’s recent decision to ban intentionally added microplastics including rubber crumb following a transitional 8-year period.

However, the NSW Government settled on 'Synthetic Turf in Public Open Space – Guidelines for Decision-Makers' which do not need to be followed by any council anywhere - they are only 'guidelines'.

None of the measures called for by AUSMAPs and residents who aren't part of the 'industry or key stakeholders', and continue to state that synthetic turf should not take the place of natural grass, are to be implemented.

The Minister for Public spaces advocating ''embracing modern innovation methods in our public open spaces'' are seen as a betrayal of maintaining the environment in these places and allowing industry, which will benefit financially from replacing the natural with the fake, and those codes of sports the fake fields would be solely for, being allowed to excise public space.

Some have stated that alike the plastic bags it took the NSW Government over a decade to ban, the last state government in Australia to do so, the environment and its waterways will choking to death with synthetic turf prior to government implementing what the research clearly points to as being needed yesterday.

Despite the numerous statements to 'retain natural green space in the North Narrabeen Reserve area' during 'consultation periods' the council imposed on Pittwater by the previous state coalition government, has forwarded installing synthetic turf at North Narrabeen as part of its proposal, and has been systemically, without consultation, installing the same product in playgrounds across Pittwater in known flood zones or where the rain will carry the detritus into the estuary.