‘Turf’ War Emerges over the Environmental Liability and Coverage of Artificial Turf Playing Fields

By Sean P. Dwyer   Since the 1970’s, the presence of artificial turf on sports fields across the nation has dramatically increased. For years, manufacturers and proponents of artificial turf have touted it as “the playing field of the future” promoting it as a durable, low maintenance and cost-effective alternative to grass. The Synthetic Turf Council trade group estimates there's about 3,500 full-size artificial turf fields in the United States and that new fields are being installed