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Outlook
11/5 City council meeting
From Linda Hutchins-Knowles <
Date Mon 11/4/2024 3:57 PM
To The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan <[email protected]>; District1 <[email protected]>; District2 <[email protected]>; District4 <[email protected]>; District5 <[email protected]>; District 6 <[email protected]>; District7 <[email protected]>; District8 <[email protected]>; District9 <[email protected]>; District 10 <[email protected]> Cc City Clerk <[email protected]>; Agendadesk <[email protected]> 1 attachments (6 MB)
Group letter urging NO artificial turf at Fairgrounds 11.04.24.pdf;
Dear Mayor Mahan, Vicemayor Kamei, and Councilmembers,
We were surprised to learn that you will be voting tomorrow on non-binding term sheet with the Earthquakes. We feel it’s premature to vote on this issue—even on a non-binding term sheet—until after the County’s proposed ordinance to prohibit artificial turf on all County-owned property has been approved or rejected.
So see why we feel so strongly about this, please see the attached letter—signed by 60 organizations—urging the BOS to require that the Earthquakes to install the safest, healthiest, most cost-effective surface— natural grass.
It’s highly inequitable for the Earthquakes’ players and affiliates to get natural grass fields, while the fields for public use are covered in toxic, injury-prone, very hot artificial turf. In fact, it is environmentally racist to increase the toxic burden on our marginalized communities. They are the ones who most need and deserve professionally- maintained, organically-managed natural turf fields.
Therefore, we ask you to vote NO on the non-binding term sheet and direct Staff to insist that ALL of the soccer fields at the Fairground to be natural grass.
For our children’s health and safety and our climate’s sustainability, Linda Hutchins-Knowles
Co-founder and Team Coordinator
Mothers Out Front Silicon Valley
11/4/24, 4:31 PM Mail - Agendadesk - Outlook
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November4,2024
Subject:60organizationssupportbanonnewartificialturfonCounty-ownedproperty, withoutexceptions(includingfortheFairgrounds) DearPresidentEllenberg,VicePresidentLee,andSupervisors:
SincewesubmittedanearlierversionofthislettertoyouinAugust,2024,the53signingorganizationshavebeenjoinedbyanadditionalsevengroups,bringingthetotalto60organizations(justsomeofwhoselogosareshownabove).ThelistincludesmainlylocalorganizationsjoinedbysomestatewideandnationaloneswhowishtosupportSantaClaraCounty’sleadershiponthisissue.
Weareunitedinurgingyoutoprotectchildren’sandthecommunity'shealthandsafety, ourenvironment,andtheclimatebymovingswiftlytotoprohibittheinstallationofnewartificialturfonCounty-ownedproperty, includingreplacementartificialturf[approveordinanceVersionA]. Wealsourgeyounottomakeexceptions[rejectVersionB]forprojectsunderdiscussionbutnotyetcontracted,suchastheCountyFairgroundsandtheTwinCreeksrenovation.
Thisisanissueofequity. Ourchildrenandcommunities,includingthoseinunderservedneighborhoods,don’tjustdeserveaccesstoplayingfields—wedeserveaccesstosafeandhealthyplayingfieldsthatwon’tharmusortheair, water, soilorclimatewealldependon.Pleasecenterchildren’sandenvironmentalhealthinyourdecisionandrefusetoallowaproductthathasnotbeenprovensafeandislikelytocauseirreparableharm.
Artificialturfisaplasticproductmadefromfossilfuels
1 andcontainsmicroplasticsandtoxicchemicals
2 linkedtocancerandotherdiseases.TheseincludePFAS
3 (foreverchemicals)which
3 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HmgG-b4xmMCLhB24INFHsLyOSQeFOBzl/view[ThisletterdemonstratesthattheartificialturfindustrycannotcurrentlyprovideaproductwithoutPFASchemicalsandthatitseekstoestablishanallowedamountof100PPMor50PPMdespitethefactthatthereisnosafeamountofPFAS.] 2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10262297/ 1 https://www.bpf.co.uk/plastipedia/how-is-plastic-made.aspx;https://www.nontoxiccommunities.com/synthetic-turf.html
theEPA
4 hasmovedtostringentlyregulateindrinkingwater. Multiplerecentstudieshaveshownthatplasticgrass:● posesincreasedhealth 5 andinjuryrisks
6 toathletes,● damagestheenvironment
7 andclimate
8 ,● costsmore
9 overitstotallifecyclethannaturalalternatives,and● limitsplaytime 10 becauseitstemperaturecangetsohot
11 it’snotsafetoplayon.
Artificialturfhasbeenpromotedbysomeasawater-saver. However, artificialturfnotonlyneedswatering 12 , itrequireswateringwithpotable(drinking)water
13 inordertocoolandcleanit.Itsrunoff contaminatesourlocalwatershed 14 withmicroplasticsandPFAS.ACalifornialawpassedlastyear(SB676 15 ) statesthat:“‘drought-tolerantlandscaping’shallnotincludetheinstallationofsyntheticgrassorartificialturf.” Inaddition,plasticturfisnotrecyclable 16 andisdisposedofinlandfillsorincineratorswhereitleacheschemicalsintothesoilorair. 16 https://www.rogersgardens.com/pages/why-you-should-not-use-artificial-turf#:~:text=Plastic%20lawns%20kill%20soil%20life,microorganisms%20that%20keep%20soil%20healthy 15 https://alcl.assembly.ca.gov/sites/alcl.assembly.ca.gov/files/SB%20676%20%28Allen%29.pdf 14 https://oag.ca.gov/prop65/60-Day-Notice-2024-01833
13 Seep. 5(labeledpage2): “Onlypotablewater shouldbeusedfor irrigation” inhttps://cdn.ymaws.com/staging-stc.site-ym.com/resource/resmgr/guidelines/STC_Guidelines_for_Maintenan.pdf; Seealso:https://beachcomber.news/content/soccer-field-tap-drinkable-water-artificial-turf 12 https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/valleywater.org.if-us-west-2/f2-live/s3fs-public/Artificial%20Turf%20Fact%20Sheet_042922%20SL.pdf 11 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02656736.2019.1605096 10 https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2019/may/synthetic-sports-fields-and-the-heat-island-effect 9 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.2134/itsrj2016.10.0848 8 https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2019/08/how-plastics-contribute-to-climate-change/ 7 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749123010965 6 https://apnews.com/article/nfl-aaron-rodgers-achilles-grass-artificial-turf-79212f5443cd2a0d30fe8c9d981b13c0 5 https://mountsinaiexposomics.org/artificial-turf/;https://www.pennlive.com/sports/2023/03/6-former-phillies-have-died-of-brain-cancer-new-report-reveals-a-concerning-link.html;https://environmentamerica.org/pennsylvania/center/updates/dangerous-play-studies-find-harmful-forever-chemicals-in-artificial-turf-fields/ 4 https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas Forthesereasons,allowingthecontinuedinstallationofplasticgrassunderminestheCounty’sSustainabilityMasterPlan 17 , specificallyGoals1,3,5,6and7.
Multipleexpertsrecommendagainsttheuseofartificialturf,especiallyforchildren:
● TheIcahnSchoolofMedicineatMountSinai
18 states,“untilfindingsareavailableandconclusivelydemonstratethesafetyofartificialsurfaces,werecommendamoratoriumontheuseofthesematerialswherechildrenplay.” ● TheSantaClaraCountyMedicalAssociationsentaletter
19 inMarchwarningyouofthehealthandenvironmentaldangersofartificialturf.TheirEnvironmentalHealthCommittee:“stronglyrecommendsthatyoudonotplaceartificialturf,butratherrequireallsoccerfieldstobenaturalgrassturf,tobenefitthehealthandsafetyofchildren,athletesandtheenvironment.” ● YourownSantaClaraCountySustainabilityCommissionvoted—unanimously—torecommendthatyoubanallnewinstallationofartificialturf,withoutexceptions, andthatyouinvitetheSierraClubLomaPrietaChapterandCommunityforNaturalPlaySurfacestopresenttoyouscience-basedinformationaboutartificialturfandnaturalalternatives 20 .
Theseandotherexpertsagree:theathleticfieldswherechildrenandadultsplayshouldNOTbecoveredinhardtoxicplasticthatreachesveryhightemperatures,norshouldwecontaminateourwaterandairwiththerun-off oftoxicchemicalsfromartificialturf.
It’surgentthatyoumovequicklyonthisissue.WiththeCountyFairgroundspoisedtohostseveralnewsportsfields,it’sessentialthatpoliciesareputintoplaceNOWtoensurethatthesefieldswilluseorganicallyorsustainably-managed,drought-resistant,durable,andsafenaturalgrasslikebermudagrassorothergrasshybridsandNOTtoxicartificialturf.
TheCountyhasaspecialdutytofollowtheprecautionaryprinciple 21 andprotectourmostvulnerableresidents:children. TheirgrowingbodiesareparticularlysensitivetotoxicchemicalssuchasPFASinafashionsimilartolead.AsSupervisors,you’vetakenleadershipinbanningleadedaviationfuelatReid-HillviewAirport,andweimploreyoutoshowthesamecareforchildren’sandcommunityhealthbyprohibitingtheinstallationofanynewartificialturf. 21 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1240435/ 20 https://docs.google.com/document/d/17zZeXqT4JUlQt8gnMk4Rm30ghMzoH9FXl_wMK1mXlT8/edit?pli=1 19 https://www.sccma.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=C0f6wf5p9uY%3d&portalid=19 18 https://mountsinaiexposomics.org/position-statement-on-the-use-of-artificial-turf-surfaces/ 17 https://www.sccsustainabilityplan.org/
Yes,wewantmoreplayingfields,butonlyifthesefieldsarehealthyandsafe—coveredwithhardy, drought-resistant,professionally-managednaturalgrass.
Canwecountonyoutoprotectourchildren,communities,environmentandclimate? ThankyouSignedbythefollowing60organizations:
LindaHutchins-Knowles,Co-FounderandTeamCoordinatorMothersOutFrontSiliconValley NikkiSachs,CoordinatingCommitteeMember1000GrandmothersforFutureGenerations CherylWeiden,SteeringCommitteeMember350SiliconValley
LaurenWeston,ExecutiveDirectorActerra:ActionforaHealthyPlanet CherylAuger, PresidentBanSUP(SingleUsePlastic)
TarynObaid,Co-FounderBayAreaNaturalTurfAdvocates
JennEngstrom,StateDirectorCaliforniaPublicInterestResearchGroup(CALPIRG) BruceKarney, BoardChairCarbonFreeMountainView
ThomasR.Fox,SeniorLegislativeCounselCenterforEnvironmentalHealth NseduObotWitherspoon,ExecutiveDirectorChildren’sEnvironmentalHealthNetwork IsabelleChappuis,DirectorandeducatorChildren'sGardenPreschoolFCCLLC PiperPrimrose,DirectorChoosingNature
AdrienneEsposito,ExecutiveDirectorCitizensCampaignfortheEnvironment AndriaVentura,LegislativeandPolicyDirectorCleanWaterAction SuzanneHume,EducationDirector&FounderCleanEarth4Kids.org JanetCox,CEOClimateActionCalifornia
AndyHattala,PolicyCo-LeadClimateRealityProject:CaliforniaCoalition PamAllio,ChapterChairClimateRealityBayArea
CharlesMiller, ChairClimateRealityProject:LosAngelesChapter KathySchaeffer, LegislativeCoordinatorClimateRealityProject,SanFernandoValley AndreaWald,Co-FounderCommunityForNaturalPlaySurfaces(SantaClaraCounty) SeemaVaid,FounderandPresidentACompassionateWorld
JuanEstrada,FounderandPresidentDistrict5United
ToddWeber, ChapterCo-LeaderEldersClimateAction(ECA)NorthernCalifornia(NorCal)Chapter LendriPurcell,President,andCatherineDoddPhDRN,HealthAdvisorFACTS(FamiliesAdvocatingforChemical&ToxicsSafety) LauradeTar, ExecutiveDirectorFreshApproach
PatriciaWood,ExecutiveDirectorGrassrootsEnvironmentalEducation BridgetMay, CEOGreenBeeBotanicals
AliceKaufman,PolicyandAdvocacyDirectorGreenFoothills
SarahMatsumoto,DirectorofPolicyandGovernmentAffairsGreenSchoolyardsAmerica QuyenVuong,ExecutiveDirectorInternationalChildrenAssistanceNetwork JinYan,PrincipalDesignerPromisedGreenlandLandscapeDesign DebKramer, FounderandExecutiveDirectorKeepCoyoteCreekBeautiful LuciaGarcia,OrganizerManagerLaMesaVerdeatSacredHeartCommunityCenter GabrielaChavez-Lopez,ExecutiveDirectorLatinaCoalitionofSiliconValley DarcieGreen,ExecutiveDirectorLatinasContraCancer
VanessaArmstrong,Co-ChairMomsAdvocatingSustainability
DianaCarpinone,PresidentNonToxicCommunities
ChristinaHildebrand,InterimDirectorNonToxicSchools
raniJayakumar, Webmaster, teacherOkachiko.com
AveryYaleKamila,Co-FounderPortlandProtectors
Jeff Ruch,PacificDirectorPublicEmployeesforEnvironmentalResponsibility(PEER) PaulRuddock,FounderResilientFoodsheds
RuthMerino,ChairSanJoseCommunityEnergyAdvocates
KatherineCushing,DepartmentChairSanJoseStateUniversity’sDepartmentofEnvironmentalStudies AnnaKoster, MemberSanJoseFriendsMeeting’sCommunityActionCommittee ShaniKleinhaus,EnvironmentalAdvocateSantaClaraValleyBirdAlliance VanessaShieh,Co-ExecutiveDirector, andMelissaCanela,DirectorofStrategicPartnershipsSchoolofArtsandCultureattheMexicanHeritagePlaza TedSchettlerMD,MPH,ScienceDirectorScienceandEnvironmentalHealthNetwork MaimoonaBlock,ExecutiveDirectorSeaHugger
HoiPoon,Co-FounderandSeniorAdvisor, andManiBekele,Co-LeadoftheSanJoséteamSiliconValleyYouthClimateAction JoannaThurmann,MemberStJulie'sClimateJusticeCommittee
AnnaGrossman,FounderSustainableMontclair
DennisMurphy, Director, Water&SustainableLifeSustainableSiliconValley PaulRuddock,MemberTransitionPaloAlto
EmilySchwing,ActingExecutiveDirectorVeggielution
HuanPham,OperationsandDevelopmentManagerVietnameseAmericanRoundtable ChristinaHildebrand,PresidentandFounderAVoiceforChoiceAdvocacy RikaGopinath,ChairYardSmartMarin
FilibetoZaragoza,EnvironmentalJusticeCampaignOrganizerYouthUnitedforCommunity [External Email. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources.] Outlook
FW: 11/5/24 Agenda item 8.3 OPPOSE Memorandum agreement with County and Earthquakes From City Clerk <[email protected]>
Date Mon 11/4/2024 4:21 PM
To Agendadesk <[email protected]>
From: Pam Bond <
Sent: Monday, November 4, 2024 4:19 PM
To: City Clerk <[email protected]>
Subject: 11/5/24 Agenda item 8.3 OPPOSE Memorandum agreement with County and Earthquakes
You don't often get email from Learn why this is important Dear San Jose City Council Members and Honorable Mayor, Please vote no on item 8.3 memorandum relating to the proposed San Jose Earthquakes Soccer Complex at the fairgrounds. This proposed complex and multi agency deal has been in progress for quite some time and I do not see a reason to approve of this agreement prior to an early 2025 by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors on whether to approve a ban on artificial turf on County property. I believe that regardless of whether the ban on artificial turf happens, the project is problematic with the explicit plan to create 4 artificial turf public fields.
In the non-binding term sheet agreement, it is stipulated in contingencies that the San Jose Earthquakes can terminate the agreement “if the County bans the use of synthetic turf on public property”. Therefore, approving this memorandum when the ordinance decision is coming within a few months seems premature. Given that the Board of Supervisors will vote on a possible ban ordinance on artificial turf on County property, and given that the fairgrounds projects were being considered as some of the few that would be affected by the ban, I am not sure why this would be coming up for a vote prior to the ban ordinance.
It seems that the Earthquakes should explain their rationale for the contingency that they can back out if they aren’t allowed to use artificial turf. They have decided that the public fields will be artificial turf while their own practice fields will be grass. With the amount of money being put into the project for the public fields alone, they could create 4 high quality natural grass fields with money to spare for maintenance.
Since at least 3 out of 4 of their own practice fields will be grass (this agreement does not specify), this means they will already have the infrastructure and equipment to maintain the public fields as well.
11/4/24, 4:34 PM Mail - Agendadesk - Outlook
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The Earthquakes have a great opportunity to showcase a beautiful sports complex with well maintained grass fields which could act as a great South Bay example for cities and schools to follow. FIFA only plays on natural grass. The Earthquakes’ stadium is natural grass. Let the youth of the community play on natural grass too.
These artificial turf fields are being painted as an equity issue. The Earthquakes have helped fund artificial turf fields in a few underserved schools and see these public fields at the fairgrounds as being beneficial to the community. I agree that public athletic fields would be beneficial, but they should be natural drought tolerant grass for health and safety. It is possible. It is happening at schools and city parks in our area.
Plastic artificial turf comes with a host of environmental and human health issues that can no longer be ignored. We already know and see articles and research coming more frequently about microplastics found in the human body and contamination of land and waterways with PFAS and other chemicals along with talks of regulation of plastics as well as the deception about plastic and recycling perpetuated by oil companies and plastics manufacturers. In addition there are the better known issues that players and parents complain about such as turf burn, heat, and tracking plastic blades and infill home with them. I checked Saratoga High School’s artificial turf field temperatures because one has tire crumb rubber and one has a “new, cooler” infill (cork polymer blend). When the air temperature registered 92°, the newer infill field surface temperature registered 151°. The older crumb rubber field registered between 151°- 162°. No matter the possible, negligible difference, artificial turf gets hot and it’s due to the plastic as much as or more than the infill product.
Another unseen part of this equation is the pollution where the plastic grass is manufactured as well as where the chemical recycling plants are located - in low income communities. Life cycle costs need to consider all of this if we are going to talk about equity. I do not see where the equity lies with artificial turf. We trade purported increased hours of play for future and current health issues and environmental consequences.
Kids will track home plastic blades, some form of infill (generally still plastic because the plant infills are proving challenging or require too much water), turf burns that risk infection, and more fatigue and body aches from the extra heat and different traction of artificial turf. Their homes and cars become more contaminated than they would be with natural grass fields! Again, I wonder about the equity.
There is no regulation or oversight as to where used artificial turf goes and some uses for it have been listed as erosion control (!), batting cages, day care centers, and other landscaping uses. The County recently fined a property on rural land in the south county with storing used artificial turf. I am guessing this used microplastic and chemical shedding product will end up in any number of low income communities either for storage or for reuse to continue to create an unseen burden.
One artificial turf company is leading a major campaign to say that if kids can’t have plastic fields, they won’t be able to play sports. This is a lie perpetuated to keep them in business. I drive around San Jose and the South Bay generally and I see a lot of grass fields. Many of them look great. I think there is a solution to the deficit of fields and part of that is better maintained grass fields and better collaboration.
Another part of that is accepting the reality that soccer is a no-cut sport, so you will always have high demand.
11/4/24, 4:34 PM Mail - Agendadesk - Outlook
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Usage is called out as a rationale for needing artificial turf but in reality, 250 free hours promised in the agreement equals less than an hour a day (though it won’t be scheduled that way) and the rest of the time those public fields will be used for paid rentals. I would like to see how many hours the fields would actually be used considering soccer seasons, intense heat shutting down fields, and when teams would actually reserve them when it's hot even if fields aren’t shut down. If player safety is a priority, then I can guarantee it won’t be as many hours as they are projecting for usage. The fields will be more comfortable to play on when it’s 70°+ if they were natural grass.
Please vote No on the memorandum and consider adjusting the agreement to include natural, drought tolerant grass public fields. I believe that the Earthquakes’ contract needs to be reconsidered without the stipulation against natural grass fields for the public fields. I worry not only about the players' health and safety and continuing environmental issues related to microplastics, heat islands, and chemicals in our waterways and soil, but also the massive burden down the road when the fields need to be replaced with no effective means to recycle sans further environmental damage. What does the County do years from now if the Earthquakes back out? The County is left with acres of plastic as well as unquantified health burdens.
Sincerely,
Pam Bond
Santa Clara County Resident and parent
Aunt of soccer player
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11/5 City council meeting
From Andrea Wald < >
Date Mon 11/4/2024 4:42 PM
To The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan <[email protected]>; District1 <[email protected]>; District2 <[email protected]>; District4 <[email protected]>; District5 <[email protected]>; District 6 <[email protected]>; District7 <[email protected]>; District8 <[email protected]>; District9 <[email protected]>; District 10 <[email protected]>; City Clerk <[email protected]>; Agendadesk <[email protected]> 2 attachments (231 KB)
The Problems with Artifical Turf 2-pager by Steve.docx; Harms of AT - English.png;
Some people who received this message don't often get email from . Learn why this is important Dear Mayor Mahan, Vicemayor Kamei and Councilmembers,
I've just been advised that you will be voting tomorrow on the non-binding term sheet with the Earthquakes for their proposed project at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds. There are so many issues that still need to be addressed regarding those plans and how they will affect the environment and communities that will be using them. It is definitely too early to formalize any agreement - even if non-binding - until the County's proposed ordinance to prohibit artificial turf on all County-owned property has been voted on in early Jan. 2025.
The communities surrounding the Fairgrounds have not had a chance to learn more about what is planned and voice their opinions. Community outreach should be a priority. There is so much known harms caused by Artificial Turf that will affect generations to come. If the Earthquakes have chosen natural grass for their use, why would they expose younger kids to toxic, plastic grass? Its definitely not equitable. Plus, younger kids are still developing and are so much more susceptible to the harms of AT. I've attached a simple one page document that researchers have created and believe to be quite accurate. I urge you to take a look.
Rather than overwhelm you with a multitude of researched articles, reports, etc. from respected environmentalists, medical professionals, scientists, and other, I've attached one short file that lists the problems with AT in a very concise manner.
Please do not vote on the term sheet and insist that all the soccer fields be natural grass. Its what all those youngsters and community members who will be using the fields deserve for better health and a 11/4/24, 4:48 PM Mail - Agendadesk - Outlook
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This message is from outside the City email system. Do not open links or attachments from untrusted sources. cleaner, safer environment.
Thanks.
Andrea Wald
Co-Founder of Community for Natural Play Surfaces
C:
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Problems with Artificial Turf
Background
Artificial Turf has been used as a landscaping method to reduce water consumption.
Scientists discovered the plastic blades contain unsafe levels of carcinogenic forever chemicals.
There is now a movement to prohibit new installations of Artificial Turf:
a) Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill SB676 in October 2023 giving local jurisdictions authority to ban Artificial Turf installations.
b) Valley Water advocates against Artificial Turf and their rebate program does not provide any rebate if one chooses this material.
Problems with Artificial Turf
1. Contains a class of chemicals called PFAS.
The F stands for fluorine. Fluorine atoms combine with carbon atoms in the polyethylene grass blades to create chemicals known to be harmful to humans.
CDC found PFAS chemicals in the blood 97% of Americans and in mother’s milk.
2. Negative health effects from PFAS chemicals (NIH).
Epidemiological studies have revealed associations between exposure to specific PFAS and a variety of health effects, including:
• Liver disease
• Kidney disease
• Cancer
• Lipid and insulin dysregulation
• Adverse reproductive and developmental outcomes
• Altered immune and thyroid function.
3. Artificial Turf is considered a hardscape.
Rainwater runs off and the biome in the soil beneath it dies. Does not sequester carbon like natural grass – rather emits CO 2 and methane.
Plastic ‘blades’ degrade into microplastics and nanoplastics that infiltrate sources of drinking water and leach toxic chemicals used to make the Artificial Turf. Also, they are washed into the Bay where they can be consumed by aquatic life thinking its food.
4. Emits climate warming gases methane and ethylene and is much hotter than the ambient air around it causing a “heat island” effect.
5. Cannot be recycled and ends up in landfill, burned or simply dumped.
Request
➔ Support a City ban on new residential Artificial Turf installations using authority under SB676.
Problems with Artificial Turf
The following will damage Artificial Turf fields or cause human harm and need to be prohibited:
Usage on hot days
Bare feet
Food and drinks (water is OK)
Golfing
Chewing gum
Sunflower seeds
Smoking
Dirty or muddy shoes
Driving stakes
Lawn furniture, beach chairs, folding chairs
Bicycles, vehicles, skateboards, and scooters
Smoking, barbecuing or open fires
Spikes or metal cleats and spiked heels
Dogs or other pets
Fireworks
Maintenance activities for Artificial Turf (requires special equipment) • Fields need to be kept free of debris, leaves, paper, and windblown material. • Complete inspection: weekly
o Spot if need minor repairs, infill touchups, and sweeping needs. o Remove weeds and moss.
• Infill top dressing: needed to maintain proper infill depth. As needed. • Infill escape: use leaf blower to clear infill lying outside perimeter of field. • Cleaning and sanitizing: annually.
• Anti-static conditioning: as needed.
• Brushing: rejuvenates matted plastic fibers and levels infill. Every 2 to 3 weeks. • Aerating: (Equipment requires a tow vehicle) loosen infill to avoid compaction. Up to 3 times per year.
• Sweeping: (Equipment requires a tow vehicle) remove foreign material. Every 3 to 4 weeks. • Raking. Every 4 to 6 weeks.
• Water treatment for infill. As needed.
• Spray with water on hot days or shut down the field.
• Perform GMAX tests to measure hardness and determine when unsafe and needs replacement.
Conclusion: Artificial Turf is not as maintenance free as claimed by the industry
Request
➔ Pledge to oppose installation of Artificial Turf in City parks
11/5/24
Re: fairgrounds athletic fields, agenda item 20 of the November 5, 2024 Board of Supervisors meeting County Supervisors,
If active links do not appear in the version of this document you are reading, find the original document at https://tinyurl.com/fairgroundsfix
You are, of course, not the first local-governance body challenged with appeasing the sports organizations lobbying for artificial turf fields and the environmentalists lobbying for natural grass. This is happening around the world.
Be inspired by this success story of a local-governance body (in Sydney) that brilliantly resolved the local “turf war” by delighting both camps. It’d be best to just watch the 4 minute ABC News video , but in case you haven’t time, I’ll introduce it then provide a synopsis down below.
What was going on in that community was the same thing that is going on here.
A soil scientist there used his professional knowledge
and municipal compost to vastly improve soil conditions.
The players LOVE the much-improved grass field and so do the environmentalists! In the more detailed Case Study video (screenshotted below), we learn the field is proving to sustain 55 hours a week of use! This is comparable to the level of use that plastic turf warranties max out at. (By the way, “football” in this context means soccer.)
The findings were presented in a paper at Ozwater, one of the largest water conferences in the world.
The community’s mayor described (at timestamp 5:40 of the case study) the process:
“Council had to manage the tension between the sporting groups wanting more capacity, which every single councilor understood,
versus the interests of the environmental groups.
What we did was we listened to the science,
we worked with industry experts,
we connected with our council staff that work in the environment space, and we brought the community on board,
so that essentially we all went on a journey together
and we ended up coming to a place that I don’t think initially we thought we would.
I think there was a strong drive to put synthetic turf on this oval.
In actual fact, we had a complete turnaround and it’s been a wonderful result.”
Here’s the ABC News Video Synopsis:
The soccer club and other users subjected their natural grass field to heavy use.
It kept wearing out.
Rain, flooding, and mud were also problems.
So the soccer club asked council for artificial turf so they could train and play in most weather.
“The sports people wanted the synthetic turf, and the environmentalists, and I think the general public, did not.”
Soil scientist, Dr. Mick Battam, was called in to give advice on how to reconstruct the field according to best practice.
He found the soil was very hard, “crying out for organic matter.” “In agriculture, they’ve known this for years, but in sports turf, they just seem a bit more resistant to using organics.” Food waste, diverted from the landfill, is turned into compost.
Compost was mixed into the soil profile.
The result: the soil can now be dug into fairly easily.
There’s no longer layers in the soil, so there’s nothing to impede water flow. 1/3 of what was going to landfill was food waste.
Now it’s turned into treasure.
This has delivered a great playing surface for the soccer club! Enabling 49 hours per week of play time on that field!
“A win win!”
The reaction: SHOCK!
“Everyone was REALLY SURPRISED at how well the field stood up.”
The soccer club president said:
“I’m actually very surprised.
We’ve had more games played here than any other ground in [the area], which is a testament to the actual quality of the pitch.” “Everyone loves it!
We are SOOO delighted with the outcome!”
The End.
So how did they do it?
They followed the science —- Soil science.
The fact that the San Jose Earthquakes don’t have first-hand experience economically building and maintaining safe condition, high carrying capacity, natural grass fields for the public doesn’t mean it’s infeasible; it just means their experts have more to learn. Encourage the Earthquakes to have their experts learn from agronomist Dr. Mick Battam.
The above 4 videos can explain in a bit more detail.
Dr. Battam’s input was clearly instrumental in guiding the reconstruction and maintenance of that field so that it now safely sustains, according to one of those videos, approximately 55 hours per week use. That’s on par with the 2427 hours the City of Irvine is getting on their synthetic turf fields! 55 hours per week play time on natural grass is much more than the 1758 hours the City of San Jose is getting on their synthetic turf fields!! (2427 & 1758 come from attachment C of the Aug 27, 2024 County staff report.)
(I’m not sure where staff got 1758 annual hours of use for City of San Jose synthetic fields, but if this number is recalculated, be sure to keep the comparison realistic by looking at hours of actual use, not booked hours and not warrantied hours. If our community’s existing artificial turf fields are not being used at the carrying capacity we’re expecting out of the fairgrounds fields, we need to explore why we’re underutilizing our existing assets before we build more.)
This field has remained level and in safe condition for years, gets rave reviews by the very user groups that had been lobbying for plastic fields, and it has been done on a budget for construction and operation that is much smaller than that needed for synthetic turf.
The excellent playability of this natural grass field is the result of being well built and well managed, following the best practices for constructing, amending and maintaining natural turf sporting fields detailed in this peer-reviewed resource guide:
https://www.hunterwater.com.au/home-and-business/information-for-business/best-practice-guidelines.
The guide was developed, with Dr. Battam’s assistance, under a grant from an Australian governmental Environmental Protection Agency and Australian-state-owned drinking water supplier for the benefit of public agencies throughout the state. Our climate, year-round playable weather, and soils are similar to theirs and the guidance is based in soil science.
We could make this a 6-way win:
1. a win for the county’s youth sports organizations,
2. a win for the Earthquakes,
3. a win for the environmentalists,
4. a win for the fairgrounds neighborhood,
5. a win for the kids in your districts, and
6. a win for the other counties, cities, and school districts that go on to follow your lead.
Supervisor Chavez, please use your networks and leverage to help make high use natural grass fields at the fairgrounds your parting gift to all 6 before you leave for Bernalillo.
Not to get ahead of ourselves, but just imagine if we someday eventually replicated this success on all of the county’s poor condition grass fields. The dramatic improvement in playability could really put a dent in what is currently perceived as a lack of fields.
Well-built, well-managed natural grass fields may currently be a rarity for nonprofits and local governments (counties, cities, school districts), but the climate crisis, plastics crisis, and PFAS crisis dictate that we change that. Rarity is not a good enough reason to dismiss this proven feasible, science-based option.
SUMMARY:
Grass fields, when built and managed according to these science-based best practices to address both sustainability and heavy use, can support the level of usage our community’s existing artificial turf fields are getting.
The foundational argument of artificial turf advocates is that natural grass can’t support the play time they get out of artificial turf. With this evidence to the contrary, the arguments stacked on top fall away. There’s nothing left to support a case for artificial turf.
Here’s how to respond to all the artificial turf advocate emails and public comments you’re getting… Santa Clara County Supervisors’ guide to responding to the claims of artificial turf advocates.
Claims of artificial turf advocates Response.
The kids want artificial turf. Just look at all the kids from the sports orgs packing the meeting chambers.
What the kids want is a consistent, level surface to play on. From preschool to pro, athletes overwhelmingly
prefer safe condition natural grass fields to plastic
fields. However, they’re likely unaware that safe
condition natural grass is an option.
These kids are also likely unaware of other newsworthy
facts…
Our own county’s medical association , just this past
summer, published a 100 page citation-packed report
justifying their recommendation to stop installing
artificial turf.
A government issued warning was recently published
about the risk that artificial turf is potentially
contaminating drinking water with toxic Forever
Chemicals (PFAS).
Researchers have discovered large amounts of artificial turf’s microplastics in the sea.
Our state, citing environmental risks, recently denied
U.C. Santa Barbara’s request to install an artificial turf field.
Our own water supplier has called for our county to stop installing plastic grass in order to help safeguard the sources of water coming out of our taps
How many grownups plugging plastic even know all
this? Kids are entrusting grownups to assess and
manage risk. They just want to play.
Pro players like artificial turf too. Did the pro players see the brand new study showing chemicals in artificial turf can harm your endocrine &
cardiometabolic systems?
Do the pro players realize those systems are key for
optimizing performance, energy, muscle, & heart
health?
The decision should be up to the field users and/or
neighborhood.
Everyone gets a say, because the decision to increase
urban heat islands, reduce climate resilience, and risk polluting the environment with chemicals and
microplastics effects everyone.
The natural grass fields in our schools and cities are:
- in unsafe condition
- compacted
- uneven
- full of rodent holes
- full of bare spots
- weedy
- muddy
- too long
- closed for extended periods
Those fields were most likely not well-built and/or
well-managed*.
Artificial turf offers orders of magnitude more play time than natural grass.
When grass fields are well-built and well-managed*,
they can support the level of usage many local artificial turf fields are getting.
Data suggesting otherwise likely proves the natural
grass field was not well-built and/or well-managed*.
Note that limited playability of natural grass is often not the fault of the field manager . In many cases, field
managers inherit poorly built fields and/or are given
nowhere near the financial resources that the field
owner would allocate to the field if it were artificial turf.
Artificial turf is more cost effective. Well-built, well-managed* natural grass costs no more to own and operate than artificial turf.
We don’t have enough fields. Adding a well-built, well-managed* natural grass field can address this just as much as adding an artificial turf field.
We can’t afford cancellations due to rain. Well-built, well-managed* natural grass fields can be played on within hours of heavy rain.
Modern artificial turf is less toxic than predecessor
products.
Artificial turf continues to contain chemicals of concern .
That’s why the Department of T oxic Substances Control
just started evaluating it.
Modern artificial turf gets less hot than predecessor
products.
Only marginally. Natural grass remains nearly air temp.
Artificial turf technology has improved. Turfgrass management technology has also improved.
Turfgrass cultivars have also improved, now with
greater wear-tolerance and greater drought tolerance.
Artificial turf technology will continue to evolve. The body of research indicting artificial turf will also continue to evolve.
Painting lines on natural grass takes too much time. 75% of school districts with natural grass are using robotic line painters .
I am an expert in natural grass fields and their
limitations, because for years I have been:
- a professional player
- a coach
- a field designer
- a field builder
- a field manager
- a facilities director
- a parks & rec manager
- a youth sports org board member
Science evolves and even experts can learn new
things.
Injuries are a bigger risk with natural grass than with artificial turf.
Well-built, well-managed* natural grass is safer than
artificial turf.
Artificial turf conserves water. Plastic turf does not conserve water. Legitimate water conservation entails more than reducing consumption; it critically also entails protecting our water sources from microplastic pollution and toxic chemicals.
Mowers generate emissions. Explore zero-waste emissions equipment.
Natural grass requires pesticides. Sustainable IPM practices minimize pesticide usage.
Organic management can be considered.
Stop using other plastic items instead. Better idea: Stop using plastic turf and, in addition, stop using other plastic items we can also easily make do
without.
Disadvantaged communities, domestically and abroad,
suffer the harms of plastic’s lifecycle, from fossil fuel extraction to manufacturing to plastic waste and
incineration; they are pleading for reductions in plastic production. How can we dismiss the consequences of
our unnecessary plastic consumption?
Manufacturers now offer artificial turf with “no
intentionally added PFAS” and have shared their
“PFAS-free” test results.
Industry’s latest greenwashed claims have been
debunked by experts. Because plastic grass is
unavoidably contaminated with PFAS during the
manufacturing process, even the most modern versions
of plastic grass on the market, including those being
marketed as “PFAS-free”, will soon be illegal in some
states (like CO, NY, RI, VT).
There’s more PFAS in dental floss, and I put that in my mouth. Putting PFAS-laced dental floss in your mouth is your choice. Most people have little choice over where they
get their drinking water. PFAS accumulates in the
environment and in our bodies so it’s in our best
collective interest not to unnecessarily introduce
additional PFAS into the watershed.
Scientists and the federal government are asking local
governments to help stop the spread of PFAS.
The amount of PFAS in artificial turf is extremely small.
PFAS accumulate, and adverse health effects are linked
to extremely small amounts of PFAS.
If artificial turf were toxic, it’d be illegal.
The government can not keep up with regulating all the
chemicals on the market, much less products made
with them. It also can not keep up with enforcement of
existing regulations. There are active lawsuits in
California challenging the claim that artificial turf’s toxicity is insignificant.
Artificial turf is Prop 65 compliant. The government does not confirm compliance with Prop 65, the Safe Drinking Water and T oxic Enforcement Act.
Compliance is a manufacturer-asserted claim. There
are active lawsuits challenging the claim of artificial turf Prop 65 compliance.
Artificial turf is recyclable.
Despite industry’s longstanding, repeated promises of
being on the verge of solving plastic turf recycling,
non-polluting closed loop recycling at scale still is not happening anywhere in the country. Burning waste is
not recycling.
The volume of plastic waste being generated is
staggering. Each plastic field becomes due for
replacement every 8-10 years, generating 40,000
pounds of plastic carpet waste each time.
If you ban turf, you ban play. Why? All of the concerns have been addressed above.
Low income kids are victims. Why? All of the concerns have been addressed above.
We’re not asking for all fields to be artificial, just some of them.
Why? All of the concerns have been addressed above.
* References to “well-built, well-managed” natural grass fields are references to fields built and managed according to these science-based best practices for both sustainability and heavy use.
Thank you for the consideration,
Cynthia Fan
county resident
The Top 10 Myths of Artificial Turf (AT)
by Community for Natural Play Surfaces (July 2024)
# Myth The Facts
1 Artificial turfis
droughtfriendly
● CaliforniaSenateBill 676(passed2023) states“‘drought-tolerant landscaping’ shall notincludetheinstallationofsyntheticgrassor artificial turf”1
● SantaClaraValleyWater’s“LandscapeRebateProgram” considersAT tobeanon-qualifyingmaterial anddoesnotoffer rebatesfor itsuse 2 2 Artificial turfdoesnot
containPFAS
chemicals
● RegardingAT,theConsumer ProductsSafetyCouncil WhitePaper on PFASnotes“Even amongproductslabeledas‘PFAS-free’ or
‘PFOA/PFOS-free,’ therearesometimesdetectablelevelsofPFASdue toseveral potential factors”3
● MelanieTaylor,CEOofthe lobbyistorganizationSyntheticTurfCouncil, wrotealetter toaCaliforniaState Senator inJune2023opposing AB1423.Her letter stated“Thebill <is>a banonthesaleofartificial turf containingintentionallyaddedPFASonJanuary1,2024 tocertainpublic entitiesandbyJanuary1,2025for all salesin California.Thesedatesdo notprovideenoughtimefor manufacturersandsupplierstodevelop viablealternativesfor themarketplace”
3 Artificial turfallows
morehoursofplay
thangrass
● The National RecreationandParkAssociationrecommends 4 ○ Anytimetheoutdoor temperatureexceeds80℉ ,coachesexercise cautioninconducting activitiesonartificial turffields
○ Whenoutdoor temperaturesexceed90℉ ,coachesmayholdone
regular morningor eveningpractice(before noonor after 5pm) ○ Whentheheatindexisbetween 91–104℉ betweenthehoursof
noonand5pm,school athleticactivitiesarerestrictedonartificial turffieldstoonehour,withwater breaksevery20 minutes
● OnMay28,2024,inLynn,MA,elevenfifthgradersweretakento the hospital withoverheatingand dehydrationsymptomscausedby playingonanartificial turffieldona warm(mid-80℉ ) artificial turffield5 4 Artificial turfis
recyclable
● CompaniesclaimATcanberecycledviapyrolysis(whichheatsthingsto separatethemintocomponents),butthismethodusesmoreenergythan isneededtomakenewAT 6
● AMarch 2023articlenoted“Tothispoint,nocompaniesintheU.S.can fullyrecycle [artificial turfrolls],according toaturftradeassociation president”7
5 Artificial turfisbetter
becauseitdoesn’t
require fertilizer or
pesticides
● ATmaintenanceproceduresuse harshchemicalsor heavyequipment. ● Currentnatural grassmaintenanceinstructionsrequirefar lessfertilizer or pesticideinterventionthanpreviouslyspecified;organicnatural grass fieldsarealso anoption
6 Artificial turfisbetter
for theenvironment
● ATisplastic,whichcomesfrompetroleumjustlike gasolinedoes. 8 ● ATbreaksintopiecesandsmaller particlesmigrate intostormdrainsand watershed,andinone study,“artificial turffibersaccountedfor upto15% ofmeso- and macroplasticabundance”9
7 Artificial turfis
cheaper to maintain
● ATcostsmoretoinstall thangrass
● The costofmaintenancefor artificial turfiscomparabletothecostof maintenancefor natural grass10
● ATmustbereplaced every8-10years 11
8 Artificial turfrequires
nomaintenance
● A2017 FieldTurfmaintenancemanual listsseveral required maintenancesteps,including 12
○ CompleteFieldInspection- weekly
○ Infill TopDressing - asneeded(uptoonceaweek)
○ SprayingweedkillerslikeRound Up- asneeded
○ SurfaceRaking- every3-4weeksatleast
○ SurfaceAerating- Upto 3times/year
9 Newartificial turf
technologykeeps
artificial turffields
cool
● Newcoolingproductsdon’twork.T°Cool,aproprietarycoolingagent,is subjecttoalawsuitbyaSouthCarolinaschool district,whichstates, “Independenttesting obtained bythe districtfoundthattheT°Cool infill was‘nodifferent’ thatthenon-T°Cool infill onother fields,andthatthe T°Cool fields‘didnotperformanybetter thanthefieldwithoutT°Cool withregardtohigh temperatures’” 13
● Researchshowsthattheprimarysourceofheaton anATfieldisthe plasticblades,notthe infill.ATwithnoinfill isalmostashotasATwith infill (either crumbrubber or thenewplant-basedinfills)14, 15 10 Artificial turfdoesnot
poseinjuryrisksto
athletes
● A2021 reviewofhighschool athleteinjuriesfound “athleteswere58% morelikelytosustainaninjuryon AT.Football,soccer,andrugby athleteswereatasignificantlygreater injuryriskon AT.Upper andlower extremityandtorso injuriesalsooccurredwith higher incidenceonAT” 16 ● Ina2023summaryarticlecoveringtwodecadesofresearch,the National Center for HealthResearchfoundahigher incidence ofinjuries among collegeandprofessional athletesfor knees,ankles,concussions, heatandabrasionsonATthanon natural grass,aswell asanindication thatinjuryon ATismore severe 17
References:
1. 2023,TheStateofCaliforniaLegislativeInformation. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill id=202320240SB676
2. 2014,SantaClaraValleyWaterDistrict.WaterConservationFactSheet. https://suwater.stanford.edu/sites/g/files/sbiybj19876/files/media/file/scvwd_artificialturf.pdf
3. 2023.ConsumerProductSafetyCommission.CPSCPFASWhitePaper. https://www.cpsc.gov/content/CPSC-PFAS-WhitePaper
4. 2019.National RecreationandParkAssociation.SyntheticSportsFieldandtheHeatIslandEffect. https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2019/may/synthetic-sports-fields-and-the-heat-island-effect/
5. 2024,Channel 7NewsinBoston,11childrentakentohospital withdehydration,overheatingsymptomsduringathleticeventinLynn. https://whdh.com/news/11-children-taken-to-hospital-with-dehydration-overheating-symptoms-during-athletic-event-in-lynn
6. April 2023,Exxon’snew‘advancedrecycling’ plantraisesenvironmental concerns. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/apr/10/exxon-advanced-recycling-plastic-environment
7. April 2023,Turfrecyclerhitwithenvironmental violationsasitworkstoopenPAplant. https://www.phillyburbs.com/story/news/environment/2023/03/20/pa-officials-say-turf-recycler-is-violating-environmental-laws/69995371007/
8. 2023,BritishPlasticsFederation.HowisPlasticMade?ASimpleStep-By-StepExplanation. https://www.bpf.co.uk/plastipedia/how-is-plastic-made.aspx
9. October2023.Thedarksideofartificial greening:Plasticturfsaswidespreadpollutantsofaquatic environments.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749123010965
10. Costs:GrassvsSyntheticTurf. https://www.safehealthyplayingfields.org/cost-grass-vs-synthetic-turf
11. 2022,CenterforEnvironmental Health.EverythingYouNeedtoKnowAboutArtificial Turf. https://ceh.org/yourhealth/everything-you-need-to-know-about-artificial-turf/
12. 2017,FieldTurfMaintenanceGuidelines. https://fieldturf.com/workspace/uploads/files/fieldturf brochure maintenance-guidelines apr2017 006.pdf
13. 2023,PostandCourier,Columbia,SC. Columbiaschool districtsuescontractorsover$3.7Mathleticfieldwork. https://www.postandcourier.com/columbia/education/columbia-school-district-sues-contractors-over-3-7m-athletic-field-work/article_b3a9be0c-63b6- 11ee-b06b-f3891b9960cf.html
14. 2020.Masseyetal.Artificial TurfInfill:AComparativeAssessmentofChemical Contents. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1048291120906206#bibr9-1048291120906206
15. 2016,TURI(ToxicsUseReductionInstitute)attheUniversityofMassachusettsLowell.SportsTurfAlternativesAssessment:PreliminaryResults, PHYSICALANDBIOLOGICALHAZARDS.
https://www.turi.org/content/download/10510/174682/file/Physical%20and%20Biological%20Hazards%20Artificial%20Turf.%20November%202016. pdf
16. 2021,CurrentOrthopaedicPractice.Injuryincidenceishigheronartificial turfcomparedwithnatural grassinhighschool athletes:aretrospective cohortstudy. https://journals.lww.com/c-orthopaedicpractice/abstract/2021/07000/injury_incidence_is_higher_on_artificial_turf.6.aspx
17. 2023,TheNational CenterforHealthResearch.InjuriesRelatedtoArtificial Turf. https://www.center4research.org/injuries-related-to-artificial-turf/
November 4, 2024
Subject: 60 organizations support ban on new artificial turf on County-owned property, without exceptions (including for the Fairgrounds)
Dear President Ellenberg, Vice President Lee, and Supervisors:
Since we submitted an earlier version of this letter to you in August, 2024, the 53 signing organizations have been joined by an additional seven groups, bringing the total to 60 organizations (just some of whose logos are shown above). The list includes mainly local organizations joined by some statewide and national ones who wish to support Santa Clara County’s leadership on this issue.
We are united in urging you to protect children’s and the community's health and safety, our environment, and the climate by moving swiftly to to prohibit the installation of new artificial turf on County-owned property, including replacement artificial turf [approve ordinance Version A]. We also urge you not to make exceptions [reject Version B] for projects under discussion but not yet contracted, such as the County Fairgrounds and the Twin Creeks renovation.
This is an issue of equity. Our children and communities, including those in underserved neighborhoods, don’t just deserve access to playing fields—we deserve access to safe and healthy playing fields that won’t harm us or the air, water, soil or climate we all depend on.
Please center children’s and environmental health in your decision and refuse to allow a product that has not been proven safe and is likely to cause irreparable harm.
Artificial turf is a plastic product made from fossil fuels 1 and contains microplastics and toxic chemicals2 linked to cancer and other diseases. These include PFAS 3 (forever chemicals) which 3https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HmgG-b4xmMCLhB24INFHsLyOSQeFOBzl/view [This letter demonstrates that the artificial turf industry cannot currently provide a product without PFAS chemicals and that it seeks to establish an allowed amount of 100 PPM or 50 PPM despite the fact that there is no safe amount of PFAS.] 2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10262297/ 1https://www.bpf.co.uk/plastipedia/how-is-plastic-made.aspx; https://www.nontoxiccommunities.com/synthetic-turf.html
the EPA4 has moved to stringently regulate in drinking water. Multiple recent studies have shown that plastic grass:
● poses increased health 5 and injury risks 6 to athletes, ● damages the environment 7 and climate 8,
● costs more 9 over its total life cycle than natural alternatives, and ● limits play time 10 because its temperature can get so hot 11 it’s not safe to play on.
Artificial turf has been promoted by some as a water-saver. However, artificial turf not only needs watering12, it requires watering with potable (drinking) water 13 in order to cool and clean it. Its runoff contaminates our local watershed 14 with microplastics and PFAS. A California law passed last year (SB 676 15) states that: “‘drought-tolerant landscaping’ shall not include the installation of synthetic grass or artificial turf.” In addition, plastic turf is not recyclable 16 and is disposed of in landfills or incinerators where it leaches chemicals into the soil or air. 16https://www.rogersgardens.com/pages/why-you-should-not-use-artificial-turf#:~:text=Plastic%20lawns%20kil l%20soil%20life,microorganisms%20that%20keep%20soil%20healthy 15https://alcl.assembly.ca.gov/sites/alcl.assembly.ca.gov/files/SB%20676%20%28Allen%29.pdf 14https://oag.ca.gov/prop65/60-Day-Notice-2024-01833
13 See p. 5 (labeled page 2): “Only potable water should be used for irrigation” in https://cdn.ymaws.com/staging-stc.site-ym.com/resource/resmgr/guidelines/STC_Guidelines_for_Maintenan. pdf; See also: https://beachcomber.news/content/soccer-field-tap-drinkable-water-artificial-turf 12https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/valleywater.org.if-us-west-2/f2-live/s3fs-public/Artificial%20Turf%20Fa ct%20Sheet_042922%20SL.pdf
11https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02656736.2019.1605096 10https://www.nrpa.org/parks-recreation-magazine/2019/may/synthetic-sports-fields-and-the-heat-island-effect 9https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.2134/itsrj2016.10.0848 8https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2019/08/how-plastics-contribute-to-climate-change/ 7https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749123010965 6https://apnews.com/article/nfl-aaron-rodgers-achilles-grass-artificial-turf-79212f5443cd2a0d30fe8c9d981b13 c0
5https://mountsinaiexposomics.org/artificial-turf/;
https://www.pennlive.com/sports/2023/03/6-former-phillies-have-died-of-brain-cancer-new-report-reveals-a-co ncerning-link.html;
https://environmentamerica.org/pennsylvania/center/updates/dangerous-play-studies-find-harmful-forever-che micals-in-artificial-turf-fields/
4https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/and-polyfluoroalkyl-substances-pfas For these reasons, allowing the continued installation of plastic grass undermines the County’s Sustainability Master Plan 17, specifically Goals 1, 3, 5, 6 and 7.
Multiple experts recommend against the use of artificial turf, especially for children:
● The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai 18 states, “until findings are available and conclusively demonstrate the safety of artificial surfaces, we recommend a moratorium on the use of these materials where children play.”
● The Santa Clara County Medical Association sent a letter 19 in March warning you of the health and environmental dangers of artificial turf. Their Environmental Health Committee:
“strongly recommends that you do not place artificial turf, but rather require all soccer fields to be natural grass turf, to benefit the health and safety of children, athletes and the environment.” ● Your own Santa Clara County Sustainability Commission voted—unanimously—to recommend that you ban all new installation of artificial turf, without exceptions, and that you invite the Sierra Club Loma Prieta Chapter and Community for Natural Play Surfaces to present to you science-based information about artificial turf and natural alternatives 20.
These and other experts agree: the athletic fields where children and adults play should NOT be covered in hard toxic plastic that reaches very high temperatures, nor should we contaminate our water and air with the run-off of toxic chemicals from artificial turf.
It’s urgent that you move quickly on this issue. With the County Fairgrounds poised to host several new sports fields, it’s essential that policies are put into place NOW to ensure that these fields will use organically or sustainably-managed, drought-resistant, durable, and safe natural grass like bermuda grass or other grass hybrids and NOT toxic artificial turf.
The County has a special duty to follow the precautionary principle 21 and protect our most vulnerable residents: children. Their growing bodies are particularly sensitive to toxic chemicals such as PFAS in a fashion similar to lead. As Supervisors, you’ve taken leadership in banning leaded aviation fuel at Reid-Hillview Airport, and we implore you to show the same care for children’s and community health by prohibiting the installation of any new artificial turf. 21https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1240435/ 20https://docs.google.com/document/d/17zZeXqT4JUlQt8gnMk4Rm30ghMzoH9FXl_wMK1mXlT8/edit?pli=1 19https://www.sccma.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=C0f6wf5p9uY%3d&portalid=19 18https://mountsinaiexposomics.org/position-statement-on-the-use-of-artificial-turf-surfaces/ 17https://www.sccsustainabilityplan.org/
Yes, we want more playing fields, but only if these fields are healthy and safe—covered with hardy, drought-resistant, professionally-managed natural grass.
Can we count on you to protect our children, communities, environment and climate? Thank you
Signed by the following 60 organizations:
Linda Hutchins-Knowles, Co-Founder and T eam Coordinator Mothers Out Front Silicon Valley
Nikki Sachs, Coordinating Committee Member
1000 Grandmothers for Future Generations
Cheryl Weiden, Steering Committee Member
350 Silicon Valley
Lauren Weston, Executive Director
Acterra: Action for a Healthy Planet
Cheryl Auger, President
Ban SUP (Single Use Plastic)
T aryn Obaid, Co-Founder
Bay Area Natural Turf Advocates
Jenn Engstrom, State Director
California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG)
Bruce Karney, Board Chair
Carbon Free Mountain View
Thomas R. Fox, Senior Legislative Counsel
Center for Environmental Health
Nsedu Obot Witherspoon, Executive Director
Children’s Environmental Health Network
Isabelle Chappuis, Director and educator
Children's Garden Preschool FCC LLC
Piper Primrose, Director
Choosing Nature
Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director
Citizens Campaign for the Environment
Andria Ventura, Legislative and Policy Director
Clean Water Action
Suzanne Hume, Education Director & Founder
CleanEarth4Kids.org
Janet Cox, CEO
Climate Action California
Andy Hattala, Policy Co-Lead
Climate Reality Project: California Coalition
Pam Allio, Chapter Chair
Climate Reality Bay Area
Charles Miller, Chair
Climate Reality Project: Los Angeles Chapter
Kathy Schaeffer, Legislative Coordinator
Climate Reality Project, San Fernando Valley
Andrea Wald, Co-Founder
Community For Natural Play Surfaces (Santa Clara County) Seema Vaid, Founder and President
A Compassionate World
Juan Estrada, Founder and President
District 5 United
T odd Weber, Chapter Co-Leader
Elders Climate Action (ECA) Northern California (NorCal) Chapter Lendri Purcell, President, and Catherine Dodd PhD RN, Health Advisor FACTS (Families Advocating for Chemical & Toxics Safety) Laura de T ar, Executive Director
Fresh Approach
Patricia Wood, Executive Director
Grassroots Environmental Education
Bridget May, CEO
Green Bee Botanicals
Alice Kaufman, Policy and Advocacy Director
Green Foothills
Sarah Matsumoto, Director of Policy and Government Affairs Green Schoolyards America
Quyen Vuong, Executive Director
International Children Assistance Network
Jin Yan, Principal Designer
Promised Greenland Landscape Design
Deb Kramer, Founder and Executive Director
Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful
Lucia Garcia, Organizer Manager
La Mesa Verde at Sacred Heart Community Center
Gabriela Chavez-Lopez, Executive Director
Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley
Darcie Green, Executive Director
Latinas Contra Cancer
Vanessa Armstrong, Co-Chair
Moms Advocating Sustainability
Diana Carpinone, President
Non Toxic Communities
Christina Hildebrand, Interim Director
Non Toxic Schools
rani Jayakumar, Webmaster, teacher
Okachiko.com
Avery Yale Kamila, Co-Founder
Portland Protectors
Jeff Ruch, Pacific Director
Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) Paul Ruddock, Founder
Resilient Foodsheds
Ruth Merino, Chair
San Jose Community Energy Advocates
Katherine Cushing, Department Chair
San Jose State University’s Department of Environmental Studies Anna Koster, Member
San Jose Friends Meeting’s Community Action Committee
Shani Kleinhaus, Environmental Advocate
Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance
Vanessa Shieh, Co-Executive Director, and Melissa Canela, Director of Strategic Partnerships School of Arts and Culture at the Mexican Heritage Plaza T ed Schettler MD, MPH, Science Director
Science and Environmental Health Network
Maimoona Block, Executive Director
Sea Hugger
Hoi Poon, Co-Founder and Senior Advisor, and Mani Bekele, Co-Lead of the San José team Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action
Joanna Thurmann, Member
St Julie's Climate Justice Committee
Anna Grossman, Founder
Sustainable Montclair
Dennis Murphy, Director, Water & Sustainable Life
Sustainable Silicon Valley
Paul Ruddock, Member
Transition Palo Alto
Emily Schwing, Acting Executive Director
Veggielution
Huan Pham, Operations and Development Manager
Vietnamese American Roundtable
Christina Hildebrand, President and Founder
A Voice for Choice Advocacy
Rika Gopinath, Chair
YardSmartMarin
Filibeto Zaragoza, Environmental Justice Campaign Organizer Youth United for Community