Disinfecting Your Synthetic Turf Field During COVID-19
As a synthetic turf field owner, you might be wondering – what is the best way to create a safe playing surface during the COVID-19 pandemic? In our role as sports field construction professionals, we too have been faced with this challenge. As a result, we have outlined what we know and what we recommend that you consider.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the coronavirus is believed to spread predominantly from person-to-person, specifically those that are within about six feet from one another. This occurs through droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. It also might be possible for a person to contract coronavirus by touching a surface or an object that has the virus on it and then touching their facial features. It’s important to note, this is not thought to be the main method for the spread of the virus but the CDC is still actively learning. (1)
Coronavirus is known to last longer on some surfaces or materials than others. Of all the surface materials studied, coronavirus was shown to have the longest life on plastic and was shown to last up to 72 hours. (2) While human coronaviruses can remain infectious on inanimate surfaces at room temperature for up to 9 days, temperatures of 30°C/86°F or more can decrease duration. Additionally, surface disinfection procedures can inactivate the virus. (3)
There appears to be consistent information regarding degradation of coronavirus under sunlight. Intense UV light is being evaluated as a method to disinfect public transportation means. Although this research is inconclusive regarding COVID-19, sunlight seems to be a viable disinfectant. Therefore, if the field is outdoors and has not been in use for multiple weeks, treatment likely is not needed as the virus will not live that long on a surface and UV light will likely extinguish it. (4)
With all this said, we want you and your community to be comfortable – and if applying a disinfectant to your field achieves this, Motz is here for you. It is important to consider that any treatment applied will only address the virus that exists currently, and cannot prevent future exposure.
Before taking action and treating your synthetic turf field, it is important to check with your surface provider to ensure the product being selected is safe for the field’s components and will not damage the surface or void the warranty.
Our Motz365 Turf Care Experts are happy to answer questions regarding best practices for disinfecting. Should you decide that disinfecting your field is within your game plan, we offer packages to suit your needs.
- https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/how-covid-spreads.html
- https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2004973
- https://www.journalofhospitalinfection.com/article/S0195-6701(20)30046-3/fulltext
- https://www.stma.org/disinfecting-sports-fields-natural-grass-and-synthetic-turf/
Motz has been fielding questions regarding disinfection on synthetic turf surfaces even before the inception of COVID-19. With concern around this topic heightened, we have put together a list of frequently asked questions and answers, along with resources for you to reference.
Looking for a resource to share with your team regarding synthetic turf field disinfection frequently asked questions? CLICK HERE to download a PDF guide.
Motz365 Disinfection Services
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