Andy Driver has been driving and shaping the commercial programme across the Evergreens UK Group since 2005. Working with his sales and administrative team, Andy is at the spearhead of an established and respected 35 year-old business that has been an artificial grass pioneer from its infancy. The Rutland-based company incorporates LazyLawn, ArtificialGrass.com and EverRoof divisions, and is now part of The Tencate Group, global leaders in the manufacture and supply of synthetic turf. 

Now, Driver digs deeper into the controversy of artificial grass.

The Welsh Government minister’s challenge to ban artificial grass – and its subsequent U-turn – has caused little to no detriment on the supply of or demand for the Group’s products. With the artificial turf market estimated to be worth in excess of £2.5 billion and still enjoying steady growth over the last 10 years within the landscape sector, the significant demand spikes at the height of the pandemic home improvement wave saw sales of artificial grass more than double. A couple of sustained sunny summers also extended the appeal for outdoor living, entertaining and family time in the open air. 

With artificial grass often taking the negative rap for the whole landscape sector, its UK supplier and specialists Evergreens UK have developed significant new products that offer genuine, invaluable propositions – for which they should gain recognition rather than criticism – for the transformation of otherwise unloved and unmanageable spaces in gardens, urban, public and commercial areas – on any level. 

The home truths are that in some circumstances, artificial grass can be the most practical and effective remedy for an outdoor space where otherwise natural grass or plants could simply not survive. Encouraging activity, play and fresh air fun in the Great Outdoors has well-documented benefits for health and well-being – and artificial grass can make functional use of hitherto unusable space to do just that. Any governmental restrictions would mean options for schools, play and unmanageable, uninhabitable areas would be limited or unfeasible. In these instances, an artificial lawn can not only provide vital outdoor learning and living spaces but it can extend and enhance the overall landscape, complemented by surrounding natural planting, without compromising the collective biodiversity of the outdoor space. 

And whilst most suppliers can fend off arguments regarding its flood risk (superior products allow free draining ingress of water so no puddling or pooling occurs); its heat absorption (superior products are no hotter in high temperatures than other landscape surfaces such as decking or paving and can be eased with the use of kiln-dried sand infills); there is one aspect that is still a challenge for most: Its recyclability. 

The threat of a Governmental blanket ban seems extreme and unnecessary. It is often more about making the best and most responsible product choice here – just like choosing decking instead of gravel; patio instead of turf; artificial grass instead of barren or muddy ground. Overall, the industry as a whole might have been lagging behind in its environmental conscience, but conscientious specialist suppliers like Evergreens UK have not. Its important strides forward in the development of single polymer products means that 100% circularity is already here, in the range of ONE-DNA™ artificial grass products. These next-generation products complete the recyclability circle; one polymer (PE); one recycling process; minimised waste and raw material usage; reduced CO2 emissions with improved production efficiencies and independently verified with Environmental Product Declarations (EPD). 

Conveying a strong message and environmental commitment, this next-level development assures landscape professionals that artificial grass still has an important place and future. It can continue to make a positive contribution as a viable, future-proofed remedy for troublesome outdoor spaces and innovative outdoor and indoor design. We are leading these environmental conversations, heading the development and supply of products where circularity and sustainability is of top level importance and to dissuade and counter the often unfair or unfounded arguments levelled against the industry.