Concerned parents and neighbors of Trace Elementary School have been protesting the proposed Artificial Turf installation to replace the natural grass across the street from the Rose Garden. The issues are many, and it is our belief that the hazards of Artificial Turf outweigh any benefits, especially in an Elementary School environment. Children play in the grass by rolling in it, and do not regularly shower off after playing on it. US Health Agencies recommend changing clothes and scrubbing vigorously after playing on Turf. If the safety of our kids is paramount, we should not conduct chemical exposure experiments with them.

Below are summaries of the points which bring us to our conclusions, and by following the links you will also be able to read the original research performed by Federal, State and Local groups from across the USA and beyond. If you are moved by the facts, studies and questions you read, we would be thankful if you help us to help you, by letting your opinion be known to the San Jose Unified School District Board members by email, phone, or your vocal presence during the January 22nd 6:30pm meeting at the District Offices, 855 Lenzen Ave, San Jose CA 95126.

There are two components to the artificial turf. A carpet-like material with tall colored fibers is installed, then an in-fill of tiny particles is swept between the fibers to help them remain upright. The toxicity and disease issues arise from the choices of lead based pigment in the plastic fibers, and heavy metals, volatile organic chemicals, and other carcinogens in the shredded tire rubber planned on for in-fill. Because the rubber absorbs solar energy so well, surface temperatures have been seen from 150 to 190 degrees Fahrenheit on some days. The safety of our children is supposed to be paramount, yet the chemical and thermal exposure will certainly bring on respiratory, cognitive and long term health problems, as explained below. If we know all of this information, how can we in good conscience move forward?

In September of this year, the State of California filed suit against artificial turf manufacturers, who have failed to warn the public about the dangers of lead exposure from their products. The complaint alleges that the lead in their products gets on the skin of children and adults who play on artificial turf on athletic fields and other venues. Artificial turf contains lead chromate. Attorney General Jerry Brown filed the lawsuit Sept. 2 under California's Proposition 65, which says products that can expose consumers to reproductive toxins or carcinogens must carry a warning label. Lead has been on the list since 1987. Multiple other organizations are pursuing similar lawsuits and investigating the availability of toxins in materials destined for children’s play.

The primary concern is that the Turf planned for installation is composed of many chemicals toxic to people and the environment, including Lead, Chromium, Arsenic, Cadmium, Benzopyrene and Toluene. The State of California currently has a lawsuit against Turf Manufacturers for installing product containing toxic chemicals, against Proposition 65 rules. Los Angeles and San Francisco elementary schools have removed their turf installations at elementary schools because the hazard of exposure and absorption is greatest in young children. Because of their smaller developing bodies and the way they play, they are the most likely to be affected by Turf’s constituent chemicals. The diseases (multiple cancers, ADHD, reduced IQ, allergic reactions, kidney damage) caused by the exposure do not always produce immediate symptoms, making their use more insidious. Latent diseases caused by this will often not appear for years. Besides direct exposure, the heavy metals also are leached into the soil and groundwater, poisoning our aquifers. That is where a large part of our drinking water is sourced. We have removed hazardous chemicals from automotive fuel, paints, toys, and containers; yet here they are being re-introduced on the children’s play fields. New York and New Jersey have removed many installations of Turf due to excessive levels of toxics measured on their fields.

Another big concern is that Artificial Turf installations are hotter than their surroundings, and this increases heat stroke risk and breathing problems. Because the base of the proposed Artificial Turf is made primarily of ground-up tires, it absorbs and retains the sun’s heat very well; even greater than nearby asphalt (black top) surfaces. Natural grass transpires in the sun and with its evaporation, is cooler than surrounding areas. Excessive heat causes increased respiratory problems, particularly for growing bodies. The closer you are to the Turf, the hotter it is. The increased heat causes the aromatic chemicals to be released more quickly from the tire rubber, increasing the carcinogenic exposure.

If the threats of cancer and more toxic runoff into waterways are not enough reason to get people to reject artificial turf, perhaps a flesh-eating bacteria known as MRSA will do the trick. MRSA is a drug-resistant Staph bacteria that can infect healthy people as well as hospital patients. It infects the skin and even the heart and central nervous system. MRSA begins as a lesion on the skin and can quickly lead to serious illness and death. Recently studies indicate that MRSA survives better on Artificial Turf than on other surfaces, and that skin injuries on Turf were seven times more likely to develop MRSA infection.

Children learn by examining things up close, and are often seen picking up twigs and bugs in the fields in which they play. They also strengthen their immune responses by playing in healthy soil. By installing Artificial Turf, we remove that entire spectrum of benefit that would be available. Psychological benefits are also prevalent with exposure to natural surroundings, none are shown from exposure to pretty looking plastic and rubber.

Natural turf is preferred by 88% of NFL players, and 96% believe that artificial turf contributes to injuries. Since 1991, 18 new major league baseball stadiums have been built, all with natural grass. The older stadiums have removed the synthetic turf, and today only 3 major league baseball stadiums with synthetic turf are in use, with two of those to be replaced with new natural grass stadiums in the near future. Maintenance and injury are often cited, and most players simply prefer real grass. All 7 future ballparks currently in development will have natural grass. It is clear that major league baseball has abandoned synthetic turf.

If artificial turf is necessary for some reason, there are materials that do not have these toxicity issues. One new alternative is infill made from plant-derived materials. Synthetic turf manufacturer Limonta Sport produces Geo Safe Play, an infill made from coconut husks and cork. In Europe there are multiple sources of lead-free turf products to meet their more stringent toxicity requirements. Of course, US turf manufacturer's lobbies continue to spout that their current products are safe, while racing to develop new productsthat will meet upcoming safety standards.

Time and again we apply the judicial model of innocent until proven guilty in non-legal contexts, such as those involving human and environmental health. We hold that a product is not hazardous to our health until scientific evidence definitively shows that it is. The pitfalls of this way of thinking are obvious. When it comes to certain substances, such as those that contain known carcinogens, I prefer to follow a different model: that of assuming something involving chemicals is hazardous until scientific evidence proves that it is not.

In the case of artificial turf, plenty of scientific evidence has, to the contrary, shown that it is hazardous in at least three significant ways: it harbors bacterial infection, it exposes humans and animals to carcinogens, and it contaminates aquifers and drinking water. Any one of those three reasons should be more than enough to convince everyday lobbyless citizens to oppose the installation of artificial turf fields in their communities. Please do not put our children and environment at risk.

This page will be filled out more thoroughly in the next few days. Thank you for reading!!