Artificial turf problems prompt lawsuits and early replacements

Schools and universities around the country are now taking a closer look at their artificial turf fields. Some of them say the fields are falling apart and not lasting as long as expected, prompting lawsuits and concerns nationwide.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WTHR) - When Indiana University’s football team begins its new season, it will be playing on new turf.
IU purchased its old synthetic playing surface from FieldTurf, the nation’s largest provider of artificial turf athletic fields, in 2008.
It came with an 8-year warranty, and university officials hoped it would last a decade. But this spring, contractors ripped the artificial grass out of Memorial Stadium months before the warranty expired.
Other colleges and universities have done the same thing.
“We met with the supplier, FieldTurf, and we determined it was in the best interest of both the university and FieldTurf to replace it sooner than later,” said Mark Burk, director of stadium and event services at the University of Utah, which decided last year to replace the turf at Rice-Eccles football stadium. The turf was seven years old.
Across the country, some high schools say their artificial turf fields started to wear out even sooner than that...

http://www.wthr.com/article/artificial-turf-problems-prompt-lawsuits-and-early-replacements