Impacts of the 2010 Connecticut School Grounds Pesticide Ban a Decade Later: Part 3. Potential Transitions to Synthetic Turf

Prohibited by state legislation in 2010, changes in the use of Environmental Protection Agency–registered pesticides on school grounds have impacted management decisions in Connecticut. A survey was distributed to school grounds managers. This is part three of a three-part series that documents grounds maintenance changes, grounds quality, and potential transitions to synthetic turf 10 years after this ban. We inquired about the prospective transition from natural turfgrass fields to synthetic playing surfaces and the driving factors for this transition 10 years after the pesticide ban. Transitions to synthetic turf by Connecticut schools were primarily influenced by field use demand and population per square mile. Research and extension efforts focused on synthetic turf are warranted due to its increased popularity after the school pesticide ban.