Letter: The Truth About Turf

To The Editor:

We all see the shiny new turf fields in other towns and think that looks great! The truth is that there’s a lot more to turf than meets the eye…and we’ve really been fooled.

So why has synthetic turf become so controversial on sports fields? The answer starts with the fact that plastics have become a main revenue source for the fossil fuel (gas and petroleum) and chemical industries. Since plastic athletic and residential outdoor field carpets are so large and wear out and need to be replaced often, they have become a “cash cow” for the manufacturers. Therefore, these industries have pushed, successfully, plastic athletic fields and synthetic rubber (mostly tire waste) playgrounds as easy-care options while downplaying their substantial maintenance needs, ongoing costs, toxicity, safety issues, surface heat, and waste.

The truth is–synthetic replacements for natural surfaces have a large carbon footprint due to their fossil fuel ingredients, their emissions during plastic carpet manufacture, their methane and ethylene greenhouse gas emissions as they break down while in place, and their short usable lifespans. Both plastic fields and tire waste-surfaced playgrounds also pose significant health and environmental risks: They become hotter than asphalt, dangerously hard, and pollute air, soil, water and users with microplastics and toxic substances while in use, before generating huge amounts of non-biodegradable, non-recyclable waste upon disposal (every eight years on average). They end up in landfills.

Since children are exposed to turf the main concern is the amount of chemicals in the tire crumb (the little black beads you see on their socks). In a literature review, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency identified just over 350 chemicals or chemical categories in tire crumb that were discussed. Substantial literature has been generated on this topic. This Sage Journal paper addresses this subject as well as infill alternatives.

Many of the chemicals are known to be hazardous to human health. These include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); volatile organic compounds (VOCs); and metals, such as lead and zinc. Health effects of some of these chemicals include cancer, hormone disruption, respiratory problems, and skin irritation.

Turf is also a problem in hotter weather. Three Montclair State University graduate students recently assisted Sustainable Verona’s Green Team with a review of heat island (or hot spots) in Verona. Verona has two: the Pilgrim Shopping Plaza and the lower Verona High School turf fields. A hot spot is a parcel of land that gets hotter than the other areas surrounding it, due to solar radiation and a lack of vegetation. On a hot summer day this past August 2023, the surface temperature of the lower VHS field was measured at 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

This is also not a local issue–experts in Australia are calling for a halt to more turf installations and the European Union is calling for a ban.

Here in New Jersey, more and more towns are saying no to turf, Maplewood for example, and most recently Scotch Plains.

An artificial turf field contains the equivalent of 40,000 pounds of plastic, or 46 million plastic straws, or 2 million plastic bags. If we’re banning straws and bags, and we know PFAs are harmful, then why are we putting down this material on playing fields?

Be informed. Do the research. Request better options for our children. Keep this information in mind regarding Everett Field and any other fields…can Verona be the town that does it better?

Kerry Bass
30 year Verona resident
Former VUSC Coach
Parent of 2 VHS graduates – a VHS softball player and a Marching Band member
Current Chairperson of Sustainable Verona