New scientific tests reveal that artificial grass can reach temperatures of 71.6°C during a heatwave, sufficient to cause irreversible skin burns in just 15 seconds. The Met Office has issued a red extreme heat warning for parts of the UK as temperatures are forecast to hit 40°C this week.
Red Warning Issued for Extreme Heat
The Met Office has issued a four-day amber warning for extreme heat, with temperatures expected to soar above 30°C and potentially reach 40°C in the hottest locations. A red extreme heat warning has now been issued for Wednesday and Thursday, covering parts of the East Midlands, East of England, London, South East England, South West England, Wales, and the West Midlands.
Scientific Tests Reveal Burn Risk
Chiltern Garden Design warned that artificial grass heats up much quicker than natural grass and can become too hot to walk on barefoot, posing a danger to pets' paws. The company stated: “Astro turf heats up much quicker than natural grass, and during a hot summer can become too hot to walk on barefoot, to the point where it can be very damaging to your pet’s paws.” It also noted that dog urine can puddle underneath the matting, causing a stink that worsens as it heats up in the sun.
The synthetic surface absorbs heat instead of cooling itself like natural grass, contributing to the urban heat-island effect. Science Direct conducted an experiment on the impact of heat on artificial turf, finding that it had greater surface temperatures than natural turf at any time of day. The study stated: “The artificial turf had greater turf surface temperatures than the unirrigated and irrigated natural turf at any time in a day. The turf surface temperatures of the artificial turf exceeded the 48 °C burn threshold for almost four hours of the day. The maximum hourly mean turf surface temperature of the artificial turf (71.6 °C) was sufficient to cause irreversible skin burns in just 15 s.”
Risks to Children and Pets
The study highlighted that unirrigated artificial surfaces pose a serious risk of skin burns in private outdoor spaces during summer, particularly for children, people at risk of temporary immobilisation, and pets. In contrast, natural turf temperatures never exceeded the burn threshold. Chiltern Garden Design added: “The impact of adding artificial turf to your outside space can also add to the overall heat-island effect of cities, which are getting hotter and hotter, contributing to an increase in land temperatures, which during heatwaves, could be dangerous for public health.”
