Synthetic Fields

An organisation’s (sport club, association, local or State Government) decision to have a natural grass or synthetic turf comes down to their specific objectives for environmental, social, health and financial outcomes.

In addition to the Decision Making Guide, the following is a detailed report on natural grass vs synthetic turf for bowls, tennis, hockey, soccer/rugby, ovals (football/cricket) and/or any relevant multi-purpose facilities, that the department and other key stakeholders can use to assist with decision making, policy and planning. The report will consider the factors that contribute to the choice of playing surface, in terms of performance, safety and playing facility requirements for the above sports.

The Study aims to provide the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment with a better understanding of the potential social, environmental, and economic impacts, bene­its, and limitations of using synthetic turf as a replacement for natural grass across NSW and to identify areas for further consideration.