Resident urges Waukee to study plastic-backed sod and consider biodegradable alternatives

A Waukee resident told the City Council she believes plastic-backed sod used by some growers leaves microplastic fragments in city soil and surface water and asked the city to research alternatives and consider code changes.

“I took all of this out of about a 10‑by‑10 square foot patch of my lawn,” Rebecca Johnson said, showing what she described as plastic material used under sod. Johnson said she had documented the same material in city parks, including Triumph Park, and that wildlife can become entangled in the backing. She told the council the industry standard is plastic-backed sod but that she found one East Coast company that supplies a plant-based product that she said truly biodegrades.

Johnson asked to be placed on a future agenda so the council could receive additional research and a presentation from the company that supplied the sample. City staff asked Johnson to share contact information so staff could follow up with the vendor and return to the council with next steps.

Johnson said the material is intended to biodegrade in about three years if exposed to light, but she questioned whether fragments break down into microplastics that wash into stormwater. She said she had photos showing the material around the city and knowledge of animals entangled in the backing. City staff did not offer a policy decision during the meeting but asked Johnson for contact information so staff could research alternatives and report findings back to the council.

No formal city action was taken. The resident requested an agenda placement and a staff report comparing standard sod products and certified plant-based alternatives; staff indicated it would follow up.