TEN REASONS WHY A THREE-YEAR MORATORIUM ON THE AMITY HIGH SCHOOL ARTIFICIAL TURF FIELD IS NECESSARY

PLEASE SIGN ONLY IF YOU ARE A RESIDENT OF WOODBRIDGE, CT

In a few short weeks construction of Amity High School’s $2+ million artificial turf field is scheduled to commence.  This petition calls for a 3-year moratorium on the construction of the artificial turf field so that residents and administrators have time to evaluate the many health risks associated with this field, including the confirmed presence of styrene, a neurotoxin; butadiene, which is associated with leukemia and lymphoma; and PFAS chemicals, which are linked to everything from kidney cancer to weakened immune systems in children.

A moratorium will also give our administrators and voters the opportunity to weigh the risks that the artificial turf field pose to our ground water and environment, to follow recommendations put forth by Connecticut’s newly established PFAS Task Force, and to explore far safer and less expensive alternatives like pesticide-free grass.

1. PFAS chemicals, present in artificial turf plastic grass and backing, are linked to cancer and immune system dysfunction, among other problems

(Populations at risk: all Woodbridge citizens, especially those who live near Amity High School or use well water; all students and staff at Amity High School)

Scientists recently confirmed the presence of PFAS in the plastic grass blades and backing of artificial turf.  PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), a class of several thousand synthetic organic chemicals, are an emerging manmade toxin.  Once released into the environment, PFAS easily migrate and can cause contamination of soil, sediment, groundwater, and surface water. Since PFAS are not currently known to break down by natural processes, they are nicknamed “forever chemicals.” The existing body of scientific literature on PFAS shows that these compounds bioaccumulate in humans (meaning the more exposure, the more accumulation in the body and the more risk) and are linked to health problems including cancer, nervous system toxicity, decreased fertility, immune dysfunction, and thyroid and cardiovascular disease.

Because there are thousands of PFAS chemicals, it’s not enough to test for only a handful, which can lead to false negative results.  Companies like Sprintuf and Fieldturf have been accused of this misleading practice.  Scientists recommend that artificial turf be tested for high fluorine levels, which indicate the presence of high levels of PFAS overall.

2. The Connecticut PFAS Task Force recognizes the dangers of PFAS and urges minimizing exposure and use

Governor Lamont established the Connecticut Interagency PFAS Task Force in late 2019. The Task Force, which is led by the Department of Public Health and Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, has developed an Action Plan:

A. To minimize environmental exposure to PFAS for Connecticut residents

B. To minimize future releases of PFAS to the environment

C. and to identify, assess, and clean up historical releases of PFAS to the environment. 

A 3-year moratorium on the artificial turf field at the high school will give our administrators the opportunity to adhere to the recommendations (and future regulations) of the Task Force and to avoid the possibility of PFAS contamination, litigation, and remediation in the future.

More and more states are instituting legislation that call for PFAS contaminators to pay for their own clean-up, which means that Amity and the town of Woodbridge could very well be responsible for PFAS remediation costs if the artificial turf field is installed and PFAS levels rise in our water supply or soil.  In fact, a Lamont spokesman said the state is currently mulling a series of executive orders with regard to PFAS contamination concerns.

Other states have already taken initiative. The Massachusetts legislature approved $28.4 million in two supplemental budgets for water infrastructure and PFAS testing, including statewide testing of drinking water for PFAS. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has approved maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) of 14 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA and 13 ppt for PFOS in drinking water. The limits will also act as groundwater cleanup standards and designate the PFAS as hazardous substances in the state. North Carolina lawmakers introduced seven bills related to PFAS since mid-May 2020. The proposed laws are split between requiring studies on contamination, and more regulatory actions. 

3. Water contamination is a major concern

(Populations at risk: all Woodbridge citizens, especially those who live near Amity High School or use well water)

Woodbridge is a town that relies heavily on well water.  Numerous reports, including one by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, have found that crumb rubber can release dangerous substances like zinc, selenium, and lead into the ground water. PFAS chemicals are also known to leach into ground water, and it doesn’t take much PFAS to make drinking water hazardous.   The EPA advisory level for PFAS in drinking water is 70 PPT (parts per trillion), which is equal to 70 grains of sand in an Olympic-size swimming pool!  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has suggested that the 70 ppt standard should be lowered to 10 ppt. Many scientists believe it should be even lower.

Constant exposure of the football field-sized plastic carpet to sunlight and heat, together with the wear and tear due to trampling, results in the release of plastic fragments that will be blown by the wind to surrounding areas. Plastic pollution is currently a major concern because plastic does not biodegrade, thus the unnatural synthetic polymers persist essentially forever, becoming a permanent part of our ecosystems. Sunlight breaks down plastic fragments into smaller microscopic pieces, called microplastic. Because microplastic and plastic bind other hydrophobic toxins (e.g. pesticides, heavy metals), they become a concentrated source of toxins. Thus, an additional grave concern with the installation of a plastic carpet is the contamination of our drinking water with PFAS, toxins and microplastics.  Residents who live closest to the field may be most in danger of water contamination. But since all Woodbridge residents with wells receive their water from the same underground aquifers, it’s possible that any water contamination could spread far and wide.

4. The infill of the artificial turf field is full of toxins

(Populations at risk: Woodbridge citizens who live near Amity High School or use well water; all students and staff at Amity High School)

 The field’s infill, or the layer beneath the plastic grass, will be comprised of crumb tire rubber—basically, pulverized used car tires.  About 40,000 car tires are used in the infill of A SINGLE FIELD. The brand of crumb rubber chosen by the Amity BOE is “Cool Fill,” or crumb rubber with a silicon coating.  The CT Dept of Public Health, USEPA, CDC, and CPSC have all concluded that studies have not adequately demonstrated the safety of artificial turf playing fields, including those with Cool Fill.

Of the 92 chemicals found within crumb rubber, 11 of them have been identified as known or suspected carcinogens.  Given that artificial turf fields are made from old tires, any chemicals that the tires were exposed to during their “vehicle lifetime” can also become absorbed into the tire material.  Crumb rubber breaks down over time into tiny and even microscopic particles that can be inhaled, ingested, and absorbed dermally.  They can also enter the body through cuts and abrasions.  Certain algaecides, fungicides, herbicides and anti-bacterial products are recommended on artificial turf for “maintenance;” these add to the already long list of chemicals present.  Because this field will be used for after-school sports and for physical education, our high schoolers will literally be required to play on a surface that could harm their health.

5. Physicians and scientists who study artificial turf fields agree that kids should NOT play on this surface

Dr. Sarah Evans, a professor at the Children’s Environmental Health Center of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, has studied artificial turf fields for years.  She writes, “Our team of pediatricians and scientists receive frequent inquiries from concerned communities regarding the wide scale use of artificial turf surfaces on school grounds and in park properties.  Our continuous review of the risks and benefits of artificial playing surfaces shows persistent significant gaps in the evidence supporting the safety of artificial turf products. Until the findings of such studies are available and conclusively demonstrate the safety of artificial turf surfaces, we recommend a moratorium on the use of these materials where children play.”

6.  Turf burns, dehydration, heat stroke, and MRSA are more common on artificial turf than on natural grass

(Populations at risk: All students at Amity High School)

Artificial turfs, even those with “Cool Play” brand of infill, are typically 40 to 70  degrees hotter than the outside air.  On hot days, temperatures of 160 degrees Fahrenheit and higher have been recorded on recycled rubber play surfaces. Vigorous play in these conditions conveys a very real risk of burns, dehydration, heat stress, and heat stroke. Children are less able to regulate their body temperature than adults, making them particularly susceptible to conditions of extreme heat.  Additionally, multiple studies have confirmed that methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is more common on artificial turf fields than on regular grass.  MRSA is an especially dangerous infection because it is resistant to many antibiotics. It can lead to pneumonia, sepsis and bloodstream infections that can prove fatal.

7.  Crumb rubber can travel anywhere and everywhere

(Populations at risk: All Woodbridge residents, especially Amity High School students and families)

Crumb rubber pieces are so small, there is nothing keeping them in place and they can migrate off artificial turf fields.  Students and athletes who play on crumb rubber fields frequently complain that the rubber pieces get in their eyes, nose, and ears, adding to cumulative toxic exposure.  Additionally, crumb rubber is easily tracked into school, cars, and homes on students’ shoes and clothing, which means that the toxins and carcinogens in the crumb rubber are also tracked into these places.

8.  Artificial turf fields are literally an alternative to landfills

When you want to dispose of a used tire, you cannot put it with your regular garbage. In the state of Connecticut, as in many states, tires are considered special waste and require a special method of disposal.  The profitable, lobby-friendly, and influential turf industry has found a brilliant way to deal with this “special waste.”  Instead of all those old, beat-up tires going to landfills and used-tire distribution centers, they can now be sorted, shredded, bagged, and shipped to schools eager to “upgrade” their playing fields.  While no administrators or parents would allow 40,000 old tires to be dumped on school property, we will be allowing exactly this when the artificial turf field at Amity High School is constructed.

9.  Artificial turf is more expensive than regular grass

In 2016, the well-respected Toxic Use Reduction Institute (TURI) at the University of Massachusetts estimated the 16-year annualized costs of natural grass to be $34K-$49K, and the costs of plastic turf to be $66K-$109K. The higher cost of synthetic turf is due partially to the high costs or disposal and replacement, which Amity has not planned or paid for, though the average lifespan of an artificial turf field is only 8-10 years (Guilford’s artificial turf field needed to be replaced after only one year!).  

10.  The outcome of the December 2019 referendum is arguably invalid

At the Dec. 2019 referendum, Amity residents were able to vote for and against athletic improvements at Amity High School, including the "all-season field."  The towns of Bethany and Orange voted for the $2+ million field.  Importantly, Woodbridge voted against it, but was overruled by the other two towns.  At that time, the presence of PFAS in artificial turf was not well established, so voters could not consider it as a factor in their decision-making.  In addition, the official ballot language, which included the term “all-weather field" instead of "artificial turf field," was misleading and confusing to many voters. The two descriptions are not synonymous, legally or otherwise.  Finally, the official ballot language did NOT include mention of crumb rubber or Cool Fill infill.  In fact, there was no mention of infill at all.  Thus, voters did not necessarily agree to the many tons of used car tire rubber being dumped next to Amity High School for our children's use. 

Woodbridge residents only: Kindly sign this petition if you support a 3-year moratorium on construction of the artificial turf field at Amity High School for the reasons stated above.

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WANT TO DO MORE?

1. We need your help!  Please reach out with questions/comments/ways to assist--

artificialturfpfas@gmail.com

2. Share this petition with your Woodbridge friends or neighbors

There's strength in numbers.  This petition will only gain traction with our administrators if several hundred Woodbridge residents sign.

3.     If your land is close to or abuts Amity High School, get your water tested NOW

Before the new artificial turf field is installed, be sure to get your water tested. That way, if and when PFAS levels go up after construction, you will have a case.  The scientists and doctors we consulted say Eurofins in Lancaster, PA is a good choice  because it has experience testing for high fluorine levels, which indicate the presence of high levels of PFAS overall.

4.      Write, email, or call our Board of Selectmen and the Woodbridge members of the Amity BOE with your concerns

Woodbridge Board of Selectmen

• Beth Heller
• Mica Cardoza
• Joseph S. Dey, III
• Joseph J. Crisco, Jr
• Dwight Roland
• Sandra Stein

Amity Board of Education Members in Woodbridge

• Patricia A. Cardoza
• Robyn H. Berke
• Sheila McCreven
• Patrick Reed

5. Consult an environmental attorney with knowledge of PFAS to see how you can protect your property and drinking water

6.    Write a “From Our Readers” comment in the Woodbridge Town newspaper or approach other media

You can voice your opinion by emailing your letter to letters@woodbridgetownnews.com.  Rules state letters must be limited to 500 words and include a daytime phone number in case we have any questions.

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SOME RESOURCES

Connecticut PFAS Task Force

https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Remediation--Site-Clean-Up/PFAS-Task-Force/PFAS-Task-Force

Position Statement on the use of Recycled Tires in Artificial Turf Surfaces from Mount Sinai

https://www.cga.ct.gov/2018/KIDdata/Tmy/2018HB-05188-R000227-Mount%20Sinai%20Children%27s%20Environmental%20Health%20Center-TMY.PDF

Information on Artificial Turf and PFAS from The Toxics Use Reduction Institute (TURI) at the University of Massachusetts

https://www.turi.org/Our_Work/Community/Artificial_Turf/Frequently_Asked_Questions

“Toxic chemicals are found in blades of artificial turf” from Boston Globe"

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/10/09/toxic-chemicals-found-blades-artificial-turf/1mlVxXjzCAqRahwgXtfy6K/story.html

“Suppressed Study: The EPA Underestimated Dangers of Widespread Chemical” from Propublica

https://www.propublica.org/article/suppressed-study-the-epa-underestimated-dangers-of-widespread-chemicals

"How the “Syn-Turf” Industry Pulled the Wool over the Public’s Eyes on Crumb Rubber"

https://www.cleanwateraction.org/2018/01/31/how-%E2%80%9Csyn-turf%E2%80%9D-industry-pulled-wool-over-public%E2%80%99s-eyes-crumb-rubber

"‘Running out of room’: How old turf fields raise potential environmental, health concerns"

https://www.ydr.com/in-depth/news/2019/11/18/old-artificial-turf-fields-pose-huge-waste-problem-environmental-concerns-across-nation/2314353001/

Safe Healthy Playing Fields Coalition

https://www.safehealthyplayingfields.org/toxicity-carcinogens

Information on Artificial Turf from Environment & Human Health (EHHI) 

https://www.ehhi.org/artificial-turf.php