Manly Cove became a living laboratory on Sunday as residents joined scientists and environmental advocates to collect and test beach debris and water samples under the guidance of AUSMAP researchers. And the results did not bode well for the use of synthetic grasses in our fields and yard.
The community event hosted by Seabin Foundation and Australian Microplastic Assessment Project (AUSMAP) on 31 August highlighted that synthetic turf installations, particularly those using a rubber crumb infill made from recycled tyres, are consistently releasing microplastics into waterways across Australia, including right here in Manly.
The hands-on demonstration showed how tiny fragments of rubber crumb and plastic grass blades are escaping from sports grounds, washing into stormwater systems, and eventually ending up on our beaches.
Arabella Condon, Litter Prevention Researcher at Seabin Foundation, said it was a growing problem.
“In our Seabin catches, we always find synthetic turf.
“In Australia, we have really nice hot sun, but for plastic outside that is not very good.
“It is not really that environmentally friendly, because we are breaking up big tyres into micro plastics and then spreading them in mainly outdoor areas.”
On Sunday evening, focus shifted indoors to the Manly Art Gallery and Museum, where a panel of experts unpacked the science and growing implications of synthetic turf for our community.
In 2024 alone, 32,000 synthetic fibres were captured in Seabins across Sydney Harbour, making synthetic turf the sixth most common item found.
They also estimated that 12,000 tonnes of synthetic turf and infill will need to be managed over the next five years, with limited recycling solutions currently available.
While the experts acknowledged the role artificial turf can play in extending sporting seasons and keeping fields open during wet weather – the most recent local soccer season being a prime example – they stressed that “other alternatives” exist.
Local environmental artist Joyce Lubotzky contributed a striking visual element to the discussion, showcasing photographs of microplastics collected from nearby beaches.
“I was really trying to investigate how we got to this place where you walk along the beach, and instead of seeing seashells and beautiful natural objects, you see far more plastic and synthetic pieces,” said Joyce.
Synthetic turf fields are often promoted as low-maintenance, drought-ready alternatives to natural grass, but Seabin Foundation and AUSMAP warn the environmental trade-offs are severe.
Dr Scott Wilson, Research Director at AUSMAP, described the rubber crumb infill as “highly toxic.”
“All animals in the ocean can ingest it, and it can be passed through the food chain and then potentially into us if we are consuming those contaminated seafoods.”
He explained that these surfaces can release a cocktail of hazardous substances into the environment, posing risks to both ecosystems and human health.
AUSMAP’s longitudinal study, ongoing since 2018, has consistently found high percentages of synthetic turf fragments in their samples, with higher concentrations recorded following bad weather.
Dr Natasha Franklin, Science Officer at AUSMAP, said: “We only take three small quadrats, and in that, we are consistently finding [synthetic] grass, and we are finding it at a much higher rate in 2025, for sure, than we have over the last few years, both at Rose Bay across the Harbour and also in Manly Cove.”
“The pieces that are out there, can’t really be taken back, so they just keep breaking up and it is getting into us. We are all going to be full of microplastics.”
Organisers asked this concerned over plastic pitchers to email their local MP.
New guidelines over synthetic turf
In May the NSW Government released its long-awaited Synthetic Turf Sports Fields in Public Open Space Guideline. The document serves as a practical tool for stakeholders, including local councils, in managing potential environmental and human health risks in the design and management of synthetic turf sports sites.
The guideline has been developed following an independent review by the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer (OCSE) into the design, use and impacts of synthetic turf in public open spaces and has been informed by extensive consultation with local councils, government agencies and peak sporting bodies.
The Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure has also released a Guidelines for Division 5.1 Assessments – Addendum for Synthetic Sports Fields to help councils and government agencies undertake an environmental assessment of synthetic turf sports fields appropriately.
This guideline came into effect from 25 August 2025 and provides key decision makers such as councils with an understanding of how to apply the recommendations to their work.
Editor’s note: The documents highlights the need for synthetic fields to accommodate increasing population and more consistent field availability but also references the need for improved stormwater measures due to known issues with microplastic pollution, as well as increased heat generation, including the risk of direct burns. It cautions that synthetic turf should be considered as part of a strategic network approach, weighing all options including improved natural turf maintenance before proceeding with synthetic alternatives.
Read the guidelines here
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