Ecosystem Services for Compensation of Artificial Turf Systems

Constructing football fields in Sweden with artificial turf has grown in popularity in recent years. Although the increase in playing time per year is a significant benefit of using artificial turf, there are many potential environmental costs. The environmental impact of foregone ecosystem services has received relatively little attention, as most emphasis has been put on understanding other environmental impacts, such as microplastics released from artificial turf. However, it is important to consider that natural grass provides ecosystem services, which are lost once the land is converted to artificial turf.