artificial turf, or synthetic turf, is a man-made (something made by humans) surface made from synthetic materials, made to look like natural grass. it is most often used in arenas for sports that are normally played on grass. however, it is also used on lawns and in commercial applications. the main advantage of artificial turf is low cost of maintenance as there is no need to water it and trim it. disadvantages include toxicity, limited lifetime, and the requirement for cleaning. artificial turf is extremely popular in sporting industry - especially in us and regions where weather or heavy use makes it difficult to sustain high quality live turf.