City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: INFORMATION REPORTS
Lead Department: Community Services
Meeting Date: April 20, 2026
Report #:2604-6218
TITLE
Informational Update on Stanford Palo Alto Community Playing Fields (Mayfield) PFAS Testing Results
RECOMMENDATION
This is an informational report and no City Council action is required.
BACKGROUND
On June 9, 20251, the City Council approved Construction Contract No. C25193640 with FieldTurf USA, Inc. in the amount of $3,064,185, along with a contingency of $306,419, for the Stanford Palo Alto Community Playing Fields Turf Replacement Project (PG-26000).
At that time, staff issued a supplemental memorandum addressing the question of whether the selected synthetic turf system would be free of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and whether testing would be conducted to confirm this. The memorandum stated that “…staff have confirmed that FieldTurf manufactures synthetic turf products without intentionally- added PFAS and this is the product that will be installed at Stanford Palo Alto Playing Fields.
FieldTurf will test the product after installation to verify no intentionally-added PFAS.” Staff have since consulted with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) and coordinated with an independent testing laboratory using a National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP)-accredited laboratory to conduct testing. The specific testing methodology is known as Total Organic Fluorine (TOF) testing, and measures the total amount of organically bound fluorine in a material by subtracting inorganic fluorine from total fluorine. This includes fluorine from known and unknown PFAS, precursor compounds, and other organofluorine substances. TOF is widely recognized as a conservative 1 City Council, June 9, 2025; Agenda Item #9, SR #2506-4816, https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=16135
and screening approach for evaluating the potential presence of fluorinated compounds associated with PFAS, particularly in complex materials such as synthetic turf.
On April 6, 2026 (Report No. 2604-6212) for the El Camino Park Turf Replacement Project (PG- 24000), the report indicated that the same turf product is proposed for installation at El Camino Park and that additional lot-specific testing will be conducted prior to installation to verify material composition.
ANALYSIS
Samples of the synthetic turf carpet fibers were quarantined from the specific product lots installed at the Mayfield site and shipped to an independent laboratory on December 18, 2025.
The samples were analyzed by Pace Analytical Services, a laboratory accredited by the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (NELAP), with oversight and data validation performed by Gradient Corporation. The analytical approach included measuring total fluorine using combustion ion chromatography and inorganic fluoride using Method 121, 4500F-BC, with the TOF concentration calculated as the difference between these two values.
The analytical results identified TOF concentrations of 8.7 milligrams per kilogram (ppm) for the primary sample and 11 milligrams per kilogram (ppm) for a duplicate sample. Inorganic fluoride was not detected in either sample, confirming that the measured fluorine was attributable to organic sources. The close agreement between the primary and duplicate samples demonstrates acceptable analytical precision and reliability. The measured TOF concentrations of 8.7 and 11 ppm are significantly below regulatory thresholds established for certain consumer products, including textiles and juvenile products such as crib mattresses and playmats. For example, California Assembly Bill 347 (2024) limits TOF to less than 100 ppm. As there are no PFAS standards specifically applicable to synthetic turf, this provides a meaningful benchmark and support the manufacturer’s disclosure that the product does not contain intentionally added PFAS.
A Level 2 data validation review concluded that there were no technical issues affecting the completeness, accuracy, sensitivity, or precision of the analytical results, providing a high level of confidence in the findings.
It is important to clarify that the laboratory testing did not yield “non-detect” as results for PFAS. Instead, it identified very low concentrations of TOF. The statement that “non-detect is not an established industry standard” reflects the absence of a universally accepted regulatory definition of the term “PFAS-free,” rather than any limitation in the reliability of the testing.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
No additional resources are required based on the actions in this report. All PFAS testing and associated activities, at a total cost of $9,546, were funded within the approved budget for the Stanford Palo Alto Community Playing Fields Turf Replacement Project (PG-26000).
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Information regarding PFAS and synthetic turf has been communicated through public City Council meetings, supplemental reports, and responses to community inquiries. Providing the final testing results as an attachment ensures continued transparency and helps maintain public trust.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The Stanford Palo Alto Community Playing Fields Turf Replacement Project was determined to be categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Guidelines Sections 15301 and 15302. This informational update does not constitute a project under CEQA and therefore requires no additional environmental review.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Mayfield Soccer Complex Total Organic Fluorine (TOF) Results APPROVED BY:
Kristen O'Kane, Community Services Director