Wildlife campaigners are calling for a ban on ‘environmentally irresponsible’ artificial grass utilized in British gardens over fears it will probably harm animals and cause flooding.
Critics say the fashionable ‘astroturf’ lawns are detrimental to birds and insects but advocates argue it’s a low-upkeep strategy to brighten up a garden.
Yesterday the row escalated after a petition was despatched to the government calling for the plastic grass to be outlawed.
Greater than 3,000 people have signed a petition to have artificial lawns banned because of their flood threat and influence on garden wildlife
As of last evening, it had attracted greater than 3,000 signatures.
The petition read: ‘The sale of artificial grass ought to be banned within the UK for environmental causes.
‘It is environmentally irresponsible to allow garden area occupied by grass and different plant life (which processes CO2 and helps wildlife) to be changed by plastic which does not biodegrade.’
Among those supporting the campaign embrace biology professor Dave Goulson.
The Sussex University tutorial says that while it’s socially unacceptable to get single-use plastic luggage at supermarkets, Britons are overlaying much bigger areas in plastic which turns into unhygienic because it ages and will probably be in landfill after a number of years.
The artificial grass additionally contributes to flooding as it does not absorb water.
And as it breaks down it releases plastic particles into the surroundings.
But BBC Radio four presenter Mishal Husain and Woman’s Hour’s Jane Garvey defended their use of the turf.
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Miss Garvey said before shopping for the plastic floor overlaying her outside house was a ‘muddy mayhem’.
She added: ‘I didn’t really have a backyard, I had a yard, that was really horrible, actually arduous to maintain, and didn’t look great. This appears a lot better.’
Miss Husain said the astroturf was ‘a nice all-weather surface for cricket and football’ for her sons.
John Terry, the former England football captain, spent a reported £150,000 on an artificial lawn for his £4.3million, nine-bedroom Surrey mansion.
But on the Today Programme yesterday Professor Goulson laid into these in search of a quick repair for their garden and mentioned artificial grass should require planning permission, a policy place adopted by the Green Party.
‘There is not any compelling cause why anybody ought to have plastic grass,’ he informed the Mail.
Julia Bradbury, the previous Countryfile presenter, final night urged Britons to signal the petition.
She wrote: ‘Plastic lawns are toxic to people and wildlife. The plastic particulates they release are harmful, they contribute to the heating of the planet and when they’re filthy with cat and bird poo in just a few years they end up in landfill for lots of of years. The other of nature and natural.