Heading along Route 5 through Deerfield past the pumpkins, farm stands and colorful wetlands, there is a playing ground being prepped to create an athletic area. Observing this activity made me wonder. Through my inquiries I learned the plan is to pave this field over with artificial turf once the topsoil is hauled out and the ground prepared.
There are well-publicized recent studies about artificial turf that make vividly clear there is a serious problem with these products and this plan. Just think, natural grass fields make so much more sense than toxic chemical-laden artificial turf. Grass playing fields can be cultivated back to natural fields, and halts the legacy of harm from artificial turf.
It’s well documented that artificial turf adds toxins to the soil, river, air and wetlands. The health of student athletes is also of grave concern. Beyond provoking asthma symptoms and other health-related problems, artificial turf is known to increase serious physical injuries, injuries that could preempt college careers. Evidence of serious and chronic long-term health risks is still being studied.
As our planet warms, artificial turf creates heat islands, causing temperature to rise significantly (40-70 degrees hotter than surrounding air). Hot enough to melt the soles of sneakers. Because it’s made of plastic and rubber, it disrupts the natural functioning of soil beneath it and damages the roots of plants and grasses of surrounding field. This adds fuel to the fire of the climate crisis and worsens biodiversity loss.
The toxic “forever“chemicals used in manufacturing artificial turf have far-reaching consequences and should not be considered a viable option at all. According to the Centers for Disease Control:
“Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are man-made chemicals that have been widely used in industry and consumer products since the 1940s and remain in the environment for a long time. Human exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances is a public health concern that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Environmental Health and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry are helping our local, territorial, tribal, state, and federal partners address. ”
This is alarming and we should all be concerned. Decision makers need to stop authorizing use of this product. All leaders public and private have a mandate to protect those they serve from known harm. At minimum this standard is not being met with the continued use of artificial turf. Truly it needs to be removed from all athletic fields and all products everywhere.
Actions by our leaders must be informed by science. We exist together in communities which are all now infused with PFAS. It is a social obligation, if not a legal one, of our local, state and federal agencies to make and enforce laws that remove these toxins.
The products and chemicals that go into artificial turf need to be banned and safely removed. Manufacturers and distributors must be told no more. Further we need to hold them accountable to the public. Ensuring they participate in real solutions to rid us of these disease-causing invasive chemicals. Funding the cleanup and medical expenses of those harmed is an essential first step.
Once removed, artificial turf is challenging to dispose of, requiring special containment to prevent ongoing leakage and harm to the environment. The widespread use of PFAS for decades in commercial and industrial products has contaminated each of us, every living being worldwide, even at the North Pole.
Recent science reports show toxins circulating in our blood. PFAS are found in our air, water, soil, fish, animals, and our children.
The Environmental Protection Agency has instructions on their website on how to reduce exposure to PFAS. They also identify challenges their scientists face across the nation and globe to reduce health risks. Our own former attorney general Maura Healey in 2022 sued 13 manufacturers for use of PFAS.
Why would we permit its use in light of the facts? Why further burden our environment, our agencies, our future with more of this stuff?
The decision to purchase artificial turf is short-sighted with long-term consequences. Yet we send our children out on it to play, exposing them to fumes, heat, and injury. There is no justification for its use. None of us should have impunity from knowingly and voluntarily adding toxins to the larger environment, even reputable private schools or private homes. We are all connected and what we do matters.
Let’s keep it real .We must ban forever the use of PFAS. There are no benefits. Any costs saved briefly on maintaining a field are minuscule to the expense of cleaning up afterward. it is unjustified, unconscionable, and toxic to humans, waterways, animals and land. Our very soles are burning!
Dorothea Melnicoff lives in Greenfield.