We’re gardening experts and here are the reasons why you should NEVER get a plastic lawn
HAVING a fake plastic lawn is as environmentally dangerous as "blowing smoke in your baby's face", gardening experts have warned.
The "extreme environmental damage" inflicted by installing products such as fake turf has been dissuaded by Lynne Marcus, chairperson of the Society of Garden Designers.
She warned: "We want to get through to people who are thinking of putting in artificial grass that it’s as serious as not wearing a seatbelt or blowing smoke in your baby’s face.
"I find it remarkable that people think it’s not OK to get a plastic bag, but it’s OK to cover your whole garden with plastic sheeting, which is what you’re effectively doing – and destroying 1,000 years of topsoil to do it."
The Society of Garden Designers have teamed up with Royal Horticultural Society and the Landscape Institute to initiate ‘Say No To Plastic Grass And Plants’, a project to spread awareness of the detrimental impacts of fake lawns.
Ms Marcus continued: ‘We have to stop this because it’s destroying our country. It’s destroying lots of countries, but we can do something about this one."
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The size of the artificial grass market has grown substantially in previous years.
One in ten British households have replaced their garden’s lawn with artificial grass.
that The Artificial Turf Market is forecast to reach $7 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 6.84% during 2020-2025.
Housing secretary Michael Gove is considering plans to prevent developers from laying artificial lawns in new housing schemes.
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The move has been backed by Dr Mark Gush, of the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society), who has urged Mr Gove to legislate the move.
The negative aspects of plastic grass include plastic pollution and emission of greenhouse gases during production.
The organisations involved in the ‘Say No To Plastic Grass And Plants’ project say they intend to debunk myths about plastic grass, including the belief that they are easier to maintain than grass lawns.
Rather, artificial lawns can require as much upkeep, including frequent cleaning and vacuuming.