The Natural Turf Alliance (NTA) works to promote better-informed decisions about community and school sports fields. We focus on building and sharing independent evidence about the performance, environmental impacts, community benefits and whole-of-life value of different playing surfaces, while demonstrating the capabilities of best-practice natural turf.
These 2030 Goals set out NTA’s priorities for the next four years: demonstrating what modern natural turf can achieve, supporting the transition of fields to natural turf, improving environmental monitoring and disclosure, influencing policy and decision-making, and providing practical support to communities. Together, they provide a clear framework for NTA’s research, advocacy and community engagement through to 2030
1. Demonstrate the Capability of Best-Practice Natural Turf
Goal: Build and share a strong, independent evidence base demonstrating the performance, carrying capacity, environmental benefits and long-term value of best-practice natural turf.
Success Indicators:
- Credible case studies, research summaries and technical resources are publicly available.
- More councils, schools and sporting organisations understand what modern natural turf can achieve.
- Independent comparisons of natural and synthetic sports fields are more widely used.
- Best-practice natural turf is routinely considered and adopted for high-use community sports fields.
2. Support the transition of fields to natural turf
Goal: Advocate for a long-term transition away from synthetic turf on community and school sports fields, with priority given to best-practice natural turf for new and renewed facilities.
Success Indicators:
- Best-practice natural turf is the preferred option for new and redeveloped community and school sports fields.
- Existing synthetic fields are progressively transitioned to natural turf as they reach replacement or end-of-life.
- Governments, councils, schools and sporting organisations develop longer-term strategies for reducing reliance on synthetic turf.
- Investment increasingly supports the quality, resilience, drainage and carrying capacity of natural turf facilities.
3. Improve Environmental Monitoring, Testing and Disclosure
Goal: Promote independent monitoring, testing and public reporting of environmental impacts associated with sports field surfaces, with particular attention to pollution risks from synthetic turf including microplastics, PFAS and other chemicals, rubber crumb infill, and contaminants carried in leachate and runoff.
Success Indicators:
- Communities have better access to reliable information about local environmental impacts associated with sports fields.
- Accepted and independent methods are available for monitoring microplastics, PFAS, rubber crumb and other pollutants associated with synthetic turf.
- Environmental monitoring and testing requirements apply throughout the life of synthetic fields, including operation, replacement and removal.
- Where pollution or environmental harm is identified, appropriate action is taken to contain, remediate or prevent further pollution.
4. Inform Policy and Improve Decision-Making
Goal: Inform legislation, government policy, standards and guidelines affecting community sports fields, and promote policies that support the transition from synthetic turf to best-practice natural turf.
Assessments should consider whole-of-life costs, actual sporting use, environmental and health impacts, community amenity, and end-of-life management and disposal.
Success Indicators:
- NTA evidence and recommendations inform relevant legislation, policies, standards and government guidelines.
- Councils and other decision-makers use clearer and more consistent processes when assessing sports field surface options.
- Environmental, health and community impacts are considered alongside sporting requirements and construction costs.
- Government policy increasingly supports investment in best-practice natural turf rather than new synthetic surfaces.
5. Support Our Communities
Goal: Be a trusted and independent source of information and support for communities seeking better environmental, sporting and community outcomes from local sports fields.
Success Indicators:
- Community groups have access to clear fact sheets, evidence summaries and submission resources.
- Communities, schools and sporting organisations can obtain practical support on sports field proposals and synthetic turf replacement.
- NTA contributes to public consultations, government inquiries and community forums.
- Local experiences, evidence and lessons are shared between communities facing proposals for synthetic turf or seeking the replacement of existing synthetic fields.
Vision Statement
NTA seeks to see a clear transition away from synthetic turf on community and school sports fields, with no new synthetic fields and existing fields progressively replaced with best-practice natural turf.
Decisions about community sports fields are guided by independent evidence, transparent assessment and proper consideration of environmental, health, sporting and community outcomes.
NTA is recognised as a trusted contributor to legislation, policy, environmental protection and community decision-making