SoCal Artificial Turfs Team
Artificial turf, pavers, and landscaping specialists serving the Inland Empire.
Last updated: 2026-04-08
Last updated: April 2026
What Does the Cowboys Turf Debate Mean for Your Backyard?
NFL field turf and residential backyard turf are different products with different materials. Field turf uses crumb rubber infill from recycled tires, which is the source of most chemical concerns. Residential turf installed by SoCal Artificial Turfs uses silica sand or T-Cool infill with no tire rubber, no lead, and no PFAS-containing coatings.
Jerry Jones told reporters last week that the Cowboys will keep playing on artificial turf at AT&T Stadium despite the NFL Players Association pushing for natural grass. The injury debate is real. But the conversation always bleeds into backyard turf, and homeowners in the Inland Empire start asking us if the stuff in their yard is the same thing.
It is not. Not even close.
What Is Actually in NFL Field Turf?
Most NFL fields use a system called FieldTurf or a similar product with crumb rubber infill. That infill comes from ground-up recycled tires. A single football field contains about 40,000 pounds of crumb rubber. The tire rubber contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), heavy metals like zinc and lead, and volatile organic compounds.
The Vancouver study that CBC reported in March 2026 found these chemicals leaching from field turf into storm runoff at levels toxic to juvenile salmon. That is a real finding from a real lab. We take it seriously.
But the study tested field-grade turf with crumb rubber. Not residential turf.
What Do We Install in Inland Empire Backyards?
We install polyethylene turf from three manufacturers: SYNLawn, Bella Turf, and Global Syn-Turf. The fiber is UV-stabilized polyethylene with no lead stabilizers. We confirmed this with spec sheets from all three suppliers.
Our standard infill is Durafill silica sand or T-Cool acrylic-coated sand. Zero tire rubber. Zero crumb rubber. The T-Cool product actually reflects heat. On a 108-degree day in San Jacinto last July, we measured 142 degrees on standard silica infill and 127 degrees on T-Cool. Fifteen degrees matters when kids are playing barefoot.
| Factor | NFL Field Turf | Residential Turf (What We Install) |
|---|---|---|
| Infill material | Crumb rubber from recycled tires | Silica sand or T-Cool acrylic sand |
| Contains tire rubber | Yes, 40,000+ lbs per field | No |
| PAH chemicals present | Yes (documented in Vancouver study) | No |
| Lead in fibers | Older fields may contain lead stabilizers | No. Lead-free polyethylene per ASTM F963 |
| PFAS coatings | Some field products use PFAS backing | Not in the brands we install |
| Typical cost | $750,000+ per field | $4,800-$11,000 per residential yard |
Should Inland Empire Homeowners Worry?
We have installed turf in over 200 yards across San Jacinto, Hemet, Menifee, Temecula, and surrounding cities. We have families with toddlers crawling on it. Dog owners with pets rolling in it daily. None of the chemical concerns from the NFL or the Vancouver study apply to the products we use.
If you already have turf installed by another company and want to know what is in it, check the infill. Scoop a handful from between the fibers. If it is black and rubbery, that is crumb rubber and you should ask your installer for a spec sheet. If it is tan or white sand, you are fine.
We are happy to do a free yard check for anyone in the Inland Empire who wants confirmation. Just fill out our contact form or call us.
The Bottom Line From Our Crew
The Cowboys can fight about field turf all they want. The stuff going into backyards along Ramona Expressway and in the neighborhoods off Sanderson Avenue is a completely different product. We would not install it in our own yards if we had concerns. And we have. Three of our crew members have our turf at home.