Synthetic Turf Resources

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Sierra Club Actions and Information

Maryland synthetic turf inventory report and form for reporting:

  • www.sierraclub.org/maryland/zero-waste
  • The MD synthetic turf inventory is a moving target since new fields are installed and old ones replaced often. Please get the word out to people in communities you are connected with so they can be our eyes and ears to report new and replacement synturfs.

2022 Legislative Actions  and Testimony on Synthetic Turf

HB 131 “Environment – Synthetic Turf and Turf Infill – Chain of Custody and Reuse”

Committee: Environment and Transportation 
Hearing Date: January 19, 2022 
The Maryland Chapter of the Sierra Club strongly supports HB 131, which addresses a serious waste problem posed by the lack of transparency and accountability for disposal of synthetic turf and turf infill. The bill would require manufacturers to establish a system to track the chain of custody for synthetic turf fields and turf infill sold or distributed in the state and to report information on the disposition of the turf and infill, from installation to removal, reuse, repurposing, recycling, and disposal to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). Current owners of synthetic turf fields would be responsible for reporting the same information directly to MDE.  
 

For the full testimony go to:https://www.sierraclub.org/maryland/testimony and scroll down or find directly at:  https://www.sierraclub.org/sites/default/files/sce/maryland-chapter/Legislation/HB%20131_MDSierraClub_fav%2019Jan2022.pdf

Sierra Club MD letter in support of Chain of Custody Bill (sponsor: Mary Lehman)l in 2021: HB857 - Environment-SyntheticTurf & Turf Infill-Chain of Custody & Reuse - E&T - Lehman - 24Feb2021.pdf (sierraclub.org)  https://www.sierraclub.org/sites/default/files/sce-authors/u25361/HB857%20-%20Environment-SyntheticTurf%20%26%20Turf%20Infill-Chain%20of%20Custody%20%26%20Reuse%20-%20E%26T%20-%20Lehman%20-%2024Feb2021.pdf

Previous Maryland  Bills supported

  1. HB1547 Synthetic Turf Disposal and Producer Responsibility Act (Feb 19, 2020) Sponsor Del. Mary Lehman: Mary.Lehman@house.state.md.us
  2. HB1098  Safe and Healthy Fields Act (March 5, 2020) Sponsor Del. Jared Solomon: Jared.Solomon@house.state.md.us 

 Maryland

 Other States

General Resources

 Safe Healthy Playing Fields  www.safehealthyplayingfields.org

 A Synthetic Turf News compendium for environmental health  http://www.synturf.org/

News updates 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SafeHealthyPlayingFields/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/shpfc?lang=en

Instagram: 

Environment and Human Health Inc. – synthetic turf page http://www.ehhi.org/artificial-turf.php

National Center for Health Research http://www.center4research.org/

Synthetic turf and Rubber playgrounds

http://www.center4research.org/children-athletes-play-toxic-turf-playgrounds/

http://www.center4research.org/nchr-statement-supporting-maryland-house-bill-to-ban-state-funds-for-artificial-turf-and-playgrounds/

Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER)

https://www.peer.org/issues/public-health/

Natural Grass Field Resources

Grass and soil are safe, healthy, oxygen -generating and pollution filtering.

So how to ensure they are as durable as possible and amenable to organic low input maintenance?  It’s actually not cost or labor intensive but rather doing the right thing at the right time and: Aeration , aeration , aeration! The experts say: "The challenge we have is soils and drainage along with the  appropriate strains of grass. Some such as Bermuda grass can create the most durable high use fields. BUT the right foundation is most critical - the right grading and soil mix, ensuring the soil is not compacted and is without rocks or construction debris at the start and ensuring appropriate drainage upon installation. Then a simple but routine deep tine aerification program would lead to "better draining soils = less closures."

Resources on Durable Sports Fields: 

https://www.safehealthyplayingfields.org/maintenance-grass-fields

Sports Turf Managers Assn on synthetic vs grass https://www.stma.org/knowledge_center/synthetic-turf/

The Field Fund works with the towns, schools, and community of Martha's Vineyard to preserve and improve the Island's natural grass playing fields.For some good information on durable sports fields see: https://www.fieldfundinc.org/

MCCPTA presents Grass Fields 101: Let’s Grow!  With Jerad Minnick and Ryan Bjorn current and former sports field managers of the Montgomery Soccerplex at: https://youtu.be/sAqMvUhs-V4 

 Examples of places doing grass better

Somerville, MA success on durable grass field renovation:   http://www.thesomervilletimes.com/archives/82416

Maryland Soccerplex- living laboratory for rain-out proof, durable grass fields: “Weathering the storms: How Md. SoccerPlex grass fields stayed open last weekend amid six inches of rain”  https://soccerplexgem.wordpress.com/2013/10/20/weathering-the-storms-how-md-soccerplex-stayed-open-last-weekend-amid-six-inches-of-rain/

Cost Differences https://www.safehealthyplayingfields.org/cost-grass-vs-synthetic-turf

The take home message: Synthetic turf costs more to install than grass and almost as much to maintain as grass, and unlike grass, has to be replace at great cost once it wears out.

Grass Cost ballpark figures (high school field):

  • Install: $150,000 - 400,000 depending on what is there already and what type of soil irrigation and drainage is used

  • Maintain : $20,000- $40,000 depending on how the maintenance is contracted and how well constructed it was at the beginning.

  • Replacement- $0

Synthetic Turf ballpark figures

  • Install:  $800,000-1.2 million for a high school field - (based on granulated tire waste infill, plant based infills are more expensive and increase this base cost)

  • Maintain: $10,000- $30,000 depending on level of use and  level of attention to player safety 

  • Replacement $400,000- $800,000 on average every 8 years

Reports and Summaries

Turf Hazard Spectrum: Field and Play surface guidance from the Healthy Building Network (HBN) Turf Hazard Spectrum | HomeFree from HBN (healthybuilding.net)  https://homefree.healthybuilding.net/products/70-turf-hazard-spectrum

Summary of the problems (and how to do grass better)  from the Healthy Building Network: Chemical and Heat Hazards of Artificial Turf Athletic Fields; Authors: S. Kaplan, UIC School of Public Health; R. Massey and L. Pollard, Toxics Use Reduction Institute, University of Massachusetts Lowell  https://greenkidsdoc.wordpress.com/2021/01/06/chemical-and-heat-hazards-of-artificial-turf-athletic-fields/

A Compendium of  information about synturf and letters from scientists-Sharon Massachusetts: https://sustainablesharon.org/2020/02/10/artificial-turf-opposition/

Princeton Environmental Commission Artificial Turf Report https://www.princetonnj.gov/DocumentCenter/View/9205/Princeton-Environmental-Commission-Artificial-Turf-Report-Dec-2021-PDF-?fbclid=IwAR203Pxxn_Fr3HaQPHYXi12IjstvBlw2gfkIObDlvPBaWFkH-8N7Mq1bQvo

 Why artificial turf may truly be bad for kids- Dr. Stuart Shalat, THE CONVERSATION, March 23, 2017 https://theconversation.com/why-artificial-turf-may-truly-be-bad-for-kids-72044

 

Background Information

Toxins in Tire Crumb- Fish killing chemical 6PPD:

Congressional hearing by Katie Porter on tire toxicity killing 99% of Coho Salmon, listed under the Endangered Species Act and harming other aquatic organisms as well.

https://naturalresources.house.gov/hearings/are-toxic-chemicals-from-tires-and-playground-surfaces-killing-endangered-salmon?fbclid=IwAR2cTSOzow1UZPhVcgU1XJ7DWV57QVuHl6nXLQa0iyqdrTX0h5YWzCWfWqU

  1. <https://www.wusa9.com/mobile/article/news/investigations/fish-killing-chemical-found-in-childrens-playgrounds/65-5ddf4e9b-7b35-439e-9d86-7cbb1f2facbc>

  2. <https://www.washington.edu/news/2020/12/03/tire-related-chemical-largely-responsible-for-adult-coho-salmon-deaths-in-urban-streams/>

Lawsuits

  PFAS Contamination

Lead Contamination

Plastics, synturf and climate change

Plastics drive continued fossil fuel use and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions:

https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2019/08/how-plastics-contribute-to-climate-change/

https://www.greenbiz.com/article/why-plastics-are-also-climate-issue

https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2019/08/how-plastics-contribute-to-climate-change/

A low-hanging "plastic fruit" example is to stop and then get rid of Synthetic-turf playing fields (a climate double whammy of hot-toxin-laden plastic covering hundreds of thousands acres of formerly  cooling, oxygenating, vegetated land )

Concussion and Injury

The Concussion Legacy Foundation called attention to the link between head injuries and poorly maintained fields, especially those of synthetic turf https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/30/sports/football/concussion-report-highlights-field-maintenance.html?smid=fb-share

Disposal Problems and Waste

Infographic on what happens to worn out synthetic turf  http://www.recyclingartificialturf.com/what-happens-used-turf

Safe Healthy Playing Fields inc  letter on Disposal Problems and false recycling claims 2020 to Martha’s Vineyard Commission- <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YMjrlK4VzBjiT48HZOQoOFvt9R6UHYXMOEFkfVII2mE/edit> …”There is a concerning lack of clear answers, no meaningful regulations or independent accountability, and a history of unsubstantiated claims by the artificial turf industry regarding “recycling” of the component materials that make up their product.

 A number of recent news outlets have covered the growing problems associated with the end of life disposal, and challenging “recycling”issues, surrounding artificial turf:

Videos and Presentations

Environmental Health Impacts of Synthetic Turf and Safer Grass Alternatives - Jan 27, 2022 presentation from the Collaborative on Health and the Environment.  https://www.healthandenvironment.org/webinars/96595

Dr. Amy Kyle, a researcher and professor at UC Berkeley's Dept of Environmental Health Sciences and on the advisory panel for the Calif. EPA study of synthetic turf. Here, she speaks very clearly about the standard for materials used in children's environment, and how synthetic turf falls well short of being considered safe.”  https://www.dropbox.com/s/xrn4qf89jpofjel/dr-amy-kyle-oehha-st-sap-mtg-20190531.mp4?dl=

11-30-20: Playing with Pollution massive infill spills, infill and blade migration. https://youtu.be/7oVzxFVKRlw

Synturf water pollution- presentation for the Chesapeake Water Environment Association (CWEA). https://cleanearth4kids.org/team-5-synthetic-turf-toxic-chemicals> focused on waste and  stormwater.  The main point is the plastic blades from the carpet are as much of a problem as the loose infill and both violate any interpretation of municipal Stormwater permits (MS4) under the Federal Clean water act. See also the other videos at that site.

 Synturf waste- lack of recycling: 4-1-21: Artificial Turf ‘Recycling’ A Decade-Long Deception. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Wndy6dLJGk

Talk at 2017 Sierra Club Jamboree about the hidden hazards of using plastics and tires for sports fields and playgrounds:  references :  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1uPR4jte8nNQzpO0BSFFzAg0_VLa7lJst

Hazardous fields ​​In DC : WJLA SynTurf Segment https://drive.google.com/file/d/1J4a_YGQGF1vs2QSj-NOwBIf5piY2Hy99/view

 A talk by Dr. Stuart Shalat, Sc.D., Harvard School of Public Health, on tire particulate synthetic turf and children  https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=UEVeAmqHTSM

MCCPTA presents Grass Fields 101: Let’s Grow!  With Jerad Minnick former Sports field manager of the Montgomery Soccerplex and Ryan Bjorn Current Field Manager  https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=sAqMvUhs-V4&feature=youtu.be

Synthetic turf fields are failing -shows fields in D.C. breaking down and washing away https://youtu.be/iV-Mh_q0gMI

 Beyond Plastics Interview - On polluting plastic disguised as grass  https://www.mediasanctuary.org/stories/2021/plastic-fields-plastic-pollution-disguised-as-natural-turf/

The NFL players association and US women's soccer team have all asked for elimination of synthetic turf wherever they play for practice or tournaments.

In Montgomery County MD a coach who has experience with both tire and alternative infill synthetic turf makes a direct plea on behalf of his players for grass, testifying in 2019 against synthetic turf and for grass at Northwood HS.  https://www.dropbox.com/s/1qbdk9ukd8l3g78/Chris-Wilhelm-MCPS-Northwood-HS-20200210.mp4?dl=0