The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District has released an updated independent study comparing artificial turf and natural grass playing fields, finding that synthetic surfaces offer major advantages in water savings and usability but carry unresolved concerns about chemical exposure, microplastic pollution and extreme surface temperatures.
The study, conducted by NV5, a global environmental consulting firm, examined injury risks, heat impacts, chemical exposures, environmental considerations, operational costs and end-of-life disposal across the district's approximately 15 acres of natural grass fields and 12 acres of artificial turf. The district commissioned the report amid intense community opposition to plans to install synthetic turf at Franklin Elementary School and other campuses.
The report is intended to serve as a "living document" that will be updated as new research and regulations emerge, and comes as the district faces a fall 2027 deadline to make a final decision on the Franklin field surface.
Water, costs and playability favor turf
On the operational side, the study found stark differences between the two surfaces. The district's natural grass fields consume approximately 20 million gallons of water annually for irrigation, averaging 1.3 million gallons per acre per year. Grass fields also require 1,684 hours of labor annually compared to just 196 hours for artificial turf, and the district applies roughly 4,125 pounds of synthetic fertilizer and 15 gallons of herbicide concentrate each year to keep grass fields playable.
Perhaps the most significant practical gap is in field availability. Natural grass can safely handle about 24 hours of weekly use before needing recovery time, limiting annual availability to roughly 1,104 hours. Artificial turf can accommodate up to 4,888 hours of use per year — more than four times as much — with consistent year-round availability regardless of weather.
The cost disparity is equally dramatic. The district spends approximately $361,000 annually to maintain its grass fields, or about $24,019 per acre. Artificial turf maintenance costs roughly $822 per acre per year. The study also found that natural grass maintenance generates an estimated 59 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions annually, primarily from the electricity associated with water conveyance.
California's permanent water conservation requirements, which could impose penalties of up to $10,000 daily for noncompliance by 2040, add further regulatory pressure favoring synthetic surfaces.
Chemical, environmental and health concerns persist
The study acknowledged multiple concerns about artificial turf that the district's critics have raised. Multiple peer-reviewed studies confirmed the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and volatile organic compounds in artificial turf materials. One Stockholm study found PFAS in 76% of backing samples from 103 football fields.
However, the report noted that newer-generation products from some manufacturers show nondetectable PFAS levels, and the district's use of organic cork infill rather than crumb rubber has significantly reduced several chemical exposure pathways. The district no longer uses crumb rubber on any of its turf fields.
Environmental impacts include microplastic pollution, with research documenting that fields release approximately 3 to 5 kilograms of microplastics per field per year. One study found artificial turf fibers comprising more than 15% of larger plastics in water samples, with up to 20,000 fibers per day flowing downstream toward oceans.
On heat, the study found artificial turf surfaces consistently reach temperatures of 158 to 171 degrees Fahrenheit under laboratory conditions, 35 to 64 degrees higher than natural grass. But the report emphasized that the district's coastal location provides significant natural temperature moderation, with summer highs typically in the mid-70s to low-80s and frequent ocean breezes. District measurements taken in October 2025 at an ambient temperature of 82 degrees recorded artificial turf surface temperatures of about 111 degrees at Will Rogers Elementary and Santa Monica High School, compared to 86 to 89 degrees on grass.
Injury research showed mixed findings. Natural grass was associated with higher rates of lacerations, dislocations and fractures, while artificial turf showed increased lower-extremity injuries, particularly to toes, feet and upper legs. ACL injuries were found to be more common on artificial turf in high school football and girls' soccer.
District's turf history and expansion plans
The district has operated synthetic turf fields at several campuses for years. Santa Monica High School has had a synthetic field since 2011. John Adams Middle School fields were first installed in 2008 with crumb rubber infill, then replaced in 2018 with cork-infill. Lincoln Middle School was converted to synthetic turf with cork infill in 2019, and Will Rogers Learning Community received a new cork-infill field in late 2023.
Franklin Elementary became the flashpoint when the board voted 7-0 in May 2025 to approve a campus renovation plan that included replacing the school's deteriorated grass field with a newer synthetic surface manufactured without infill. The four-phase renovation is funded by Measure QS, a $495 million bond voters approved in November 2024.
District plans also include synthetic turf for Grant Elementary in the next facilities cycle and McKinley Elementary after that. Roosevelt Elementary is also slated for synthetic turf. Existing fields will need resurfacing in coming years.
Community pushback reshapes the debate
The Franklin vote drew fierce opposition. More than 1,200 petition signers, six neighborhood organizations and state Sen. Ben Allen opposed the plan.
The debate extended beyond the school district. On Jan. 27, 2026, the Santa Monica City Council voted 7-0 to ban new artificial turf on all city-owned land as part of its 25-year Parks and Recreation Vision Plan. The ban does not apply to SMMUSD property, but critics note that a Joint Use Agreement under which the city pays the district roughly $10 million to $11 million annually for community access to school facilities effectively makes school fields function as public parks.
LAUSD's prohibition on new artificial turf at early education, elementary and middle schools has become a frequently cited precedent in the debate. At the state level, the Department of Toxic Substances Control has included artificial turf in its Priority Product evaluation, which could eventually require manufacturers to conduct mandatory alternatives analyses.
The district has said there are no imminent field decisions and that the Franklin surface choice will not be needed until fall 2027.