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Save Woodinville Play Fields
Synthetic Tire Waste Fields
Are More Expensive To Maintain Than Grass
ARTIFICIAL “TURF” FIELDS ARE MORE EXPENSIVE than natural grass according to studies (note; synthetic tire waste fields [artificial turf] are only warranteed for 8 years).
| Source: San Francisco Rec and Parks | Artificial Turf | Natural Grass |
|---|---|---|
| Installation | $800,000 | $260,000 |
| Annual Maintenance | $6,000 | $42,000 |
| Cost of Disposal | Unknown, but significant as a hazardous waste | $0 |
| Average Annual Cost for Guaranteed Life of 8 Years | $106,000 | $74,500 |
| Average Annual Cost for Life of 10 Years | $86,000 | $68,000 |
| Average Annual Cost for Life of 15 Years | $59,333 | $59,333 |
| Source: Facts About Artificial Turf and Natural Grass | Artificial Turf | Natural Grass |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of Construction and Maintenance per sq. ft. | $7.80 - $10.75 | With high quality soil amendments $6.50 - $7.95 |
| Cost of Disposal per sq. ft. | $1.75 - 2.25 | $0 |
| Springfield College case study of installation and maintenance average cost during 8 year guaranteed life of artificial turf - no disposal costs included |
$105,000 ($800,000 install and annual maintenance of $5,000) For a 10 year life the figure is: $85,000 For a 15 year life the figure is: $58,377 |
$78,000 ($400,000 install and annual maintenance of $28,000) For a 10 year life the figure is: $68,000 For a 15 year life the figure is: $54,666 |
| Source: A Guide to Synthetic and Natural Turfgrass for Sports Fields | Artificial Turf | Natural Grass |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of Installation per sq. ft. | $7.80 - $10.75 |
$2.50 - $5.25 (if done with native soils) $3.50 - $5.25 (if done with combination of native soils and sand) $6.50 - $7.95 (if done with sand and drainage) |
| Annual Maintenance | $5,000 - $25,000 |
$4,000 - $11,000 (as per the case studies provided) |
| Disposal per square foot - note this cost does not include the cost of transportation or landfill surcharges for environmentally controlled products | $1.75 - $2.25 | $0 |
| Sports Turf Managers Association: A Guide to Construction and Maintenance of all Field Types | per sq. ft. | per sq. m |
|---|---|---|
| Synthetic Turf/infill | $7.80 - $10.75 | $83.96 - $115.71 |
| Natural grass with sand and drainage | $6.50 - $7.95 | $69.97 - $85.57 |
| Natural grass with sand cap | $3.50 - $5.25 | $37.67 - 56.51 |
| Natural grass with native soils | $2.50 - $5.25 | $26.91 - 56.51 |
| Natural grass with on-site native soils | less than $1 | less than $10.76 |
Tire waste fields include the ADDITIONAL EXPENSES OF;
- HAZARDOUS WASTE DISPOSAL (approximately every 10 years)
-
- DISINFECTANTS
- FABRIC SOFTENER TO MASK THE ODOR
- WATERING
- EXPENSIVE REPAIRS The Baltimore Sun reported that fire damage to a 10- by 15-ft. section of the Broadneck High School field will cost it about $15,000 to repair
- EVENTUAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION CLEANUP
The use of artificial turf DOES NOT ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR IRRIGATION. If granules are not watered they dry out faster. Decomposing tire waste needs to be regularly watered to extend its usable pliancy and reduce static electricity.
Silver Terrace - San Francisco
Even though the initial installation costs are often defrayed by grants or charitable gifts, eventually future replacement costs will not. THE SURFACE HAS A WARRANTY OF ONLY EIGHT YEARS. A representative of a company that installs these fields stated that the tire waste pellets CAN BECOME HARD AS ROCK IN SIX YEARS.
Silver Terrace - San Francisco (after sweeping)
The fields need to be regularly mechanically swept of debris more often than lawn needs to be mowed. Because the field is a plastic mesh, it also needs to be meticulously hand scoured for bandaids, twigs, protruding objects, or any other material which sweeping will not remove. Mowers usually pulverize such material.
Today’s LOW INTRODUCTORY COSTS FOR THE MESH AND TIRE INFILL WILL INCREASE ALONG WITH THE PRICE OF ALL PETROLEUM BASED PRODUCTS. Add up the cumulative cost of multiple fields and a municipality will find they have bought into quite an expensive “habit”.
NATURAL GRASS SOIL AND GRASS SCIENCE HAS PROGRESSED SIGNIFICANTLY. Modern natural grass sports fields include sand in their profile to resist compaction and include a combination of many new improved grass varieties.
Significant savings in lawn care and increased use time have come about by;
- New strains and combination of grasses
- New electric and hybrid mowers
- Modern irrigation systems, design, and construction
- Improved field drainage techniques
THE NEW GRASS TURF FIELDS HAVE GREATLY INCREASED IN DURABILITY FOR ATHLETES WHILE AT THE SAME TIME MAINTAINING GREEN SPACES FOR EVERYONE ELSE.