Homeowner outraged after discovering concerning issue with their lawn: 'How is this even legal?'

Landscapers sometimes lay plastic materials on lawns to support new grass growth, but plastic can do much more harm than good in your yard.

One Reddit user posted photos of plastic netting that a turf company laid down and that no one had removed.

"How is this even legal?" the homeowner asked. "I didn't know until I was redoing my lawn."

The plastic netting is difficult to separate from the roots, and some of the homeowner's neighbors have the same issue. Plastic also makes lawn chores a hassle because it frequently gets stuck in mowers and weed whackers. 

Using plastic in agriculture and landscaping is problematic for many reasons. Plastic netting is rarely biodegradable or at least takes many years to disintegrate. 

At the mercy of sunlight and temperature fluctuations, plastic will degrade over time, but only by leaving fragments scattered throughout a lawn. These fragments harm nearby plants and the surrounding soil while contaminating nearby water sources, too. 

Plastic is not a natural material and does not support native ecosystems. It creates an unnatural barrier that inhibits soil microbe and plant root growth. By adding plastic to your yard, you also impact the movement of wildlife because it can trap birds and snakes that naturally control rodent populations. 

Fortunately, landscaping companies such as Yardzen help people create natural lawns with beneficial, low-maintenance plants and no plastics. 

"When they do analyses of microplastics in soil, I bet this stuff will place near landscape fabric," one Reddit user commented. "Despite its much lesser density, it's pervasive as hell."

Another Redditor suggested: "Or skip turf all together, then it never has to cross your mind. Monoculture lawns are abysmal in so many ways."

"You are completely right," the original poster replied. "I'm reducing it by 50% and will plant a more diverse garden. Some turf is basically to play on for the kids."

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.