Sustainable, recyclable, high-performance
How green is today’s market for synthetic turf? Judging by the ever-increasing emphasis on eco-sustainability one would be tempted to say – very green. This sea-change in attitude is driving a significant increase in the use of “green” infills for synthetic turf in North America – essentially, a new generation of environmentally sustainable products. The driving force behind the change – consumer attitudes and opinions.
Although not new to synthetic turf infill, the use of raw silica sand - coated with an acrylic polymer – is leading the way in sustainable infilling technology. The acrylic coating encapsulates the free silica, eliminating dust and reducing on-field temperatures (a huge concern in drought-prone areas.) At the same time, areas subject to extreme rainfall conditions benefit from the fact that high-quality coated sands are hydrophobic, meaning they don’t absorb moisture and they resist compaction.
Quality acrylic-coated sands are demonstrating dual-purpose characteristics in the marketplace: environmental sustainability and high-performance playability. While many may equate these as meriting equal consideration across the board, in reality this isn’t necessarily the case. The two primary markets for synthetic turf – sports field and residential/landscaping, each put forth very specific criteria on what is required from infill materials. For sports fields, both coaches and players are emphasizing the need for top-notch “G” max performance – that is, playing characteristics that are equal or better than that of natural turf. On the other hand, residential applicators like to emphasize the sustainable aspects of utilizing quality acrylic-coated sand as infill.
The color options (typically green and clear) provide the kind of choices that consumers like --- and the fact that the infill is recyclable and contains no leachates offers peace of mind from an environmental perspective. Residential clients are also known to favor the antimicrobial properties attributed to quality acrylic coated sands – especially in the area of pet cleanup and care.
Whatever the desired application, the fact is that acrylic-coated sands can offer the 21st century performance and eco-friendly sustainability that consumers are looking for – but remember: quality is key. No two products are ever truly considered equals –choose wisely. Many colored-sand products offer poor quality color adhesion, so choose only quality-certified high-performance acrylic coated sand infills.