North American synthetic turf producer Polyloom, better known as TenCate Grass North America, has filed a defamation suit to prevent an environmental group from harming its business. The group has been issuing blanket statements about the presence of PFAS in turf.

Of late, TenCate Grass North America has been on a drive to inform the sector that it now produces synthetic turf that does not contain any PFAS.

Some synthetic turf producers use a small quantity of a substance that contains PFAS, to prevent yarns that have been extruded from sticking to the machinery.

TenCate Grass North America alleges that defendant Grassroots Environmental Education and others are engaged in defamation and tortious interference with Polyloom’s business relations by asserting that PFAS can be found in “most synthetic turf fields” and pose health risks. Neither the name Polyloom nor TenCate Grass North America has been specifically mentioned by GEE.

However, Polyloom asserts that it is “inherently tied to the overall health and perception of the artificial turf industry” and “harm to the artificial turf category directly affects its reputation, operations and market position.”

If successful, this case may allow companies with innovative products to pursue recourse against misleading statements.