The current plan for the new high school football field is to install artificial turf, a massive PFAS-containing plastic carpet that sheds 5,000 lbs of plastic, and leaches PFAS, over its 8 year life-span, at which point it needs to replaced with another plastic shedding carpet. Underneath the carpet is a thick plastic shock pad. SSC and Plastic Free Sharon oppose this plan!
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY – October 31, 2019 The Sustainable Sharon Coalition and Plastic Free Sharon are strongly opposed to the installation of an artificial turf field at Sharon High School because of numerous environmental, health and safety concerns. Synthetic turf contains toxic chemicals, including per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of compounds that includes over 4,000 chemicals. PFAS are a particular health threat, as they are highly persistent “forever chemicals” that never fully degrade and accumulate in our bodies and the environment. Toxic levels of PFAS are measured in parts per trillion, and are linked to increased risk of kidney and testicular cancer, thyroid disease, ulcerative colitis and high serum cholesterol levels. Synthetic turf is made of polyethylene, 40,000 lbs of it, which is equivalent to 3.3 million shopping bags! Over its 8 year lifespan more than 5,000 lbs of that plastic break off, due to constant exposure to sunlight, together with wear and tear due to trampling. These plastic fragments are blown by the wind to surrounding wetlands, lake and woods, and are broken down further to microplastic. After 8 years, the plastic turf carpet must go to a landfill, or be incinerated, at substantial cost. The site of the proposed artificial turf field is over and immediately adjacent to a wetland that is regulated by the Sharon Conservation Commission under Sharon’s Wetland Bylaw and Wetlands Rules and Regulations, and the MA Department of Environmental Protection under the state Wetlands Protection Act and Regulations. The groundwater from the football field flows directly to three municipal wells that in 2018 provided 62% of our town’s drinking water! This poses a real danger of contaminating our drinking water with PFAS, toxins and microplastics. Our organizations recommend the use of organically maintained natural turf for the football field, and are asking for a two-year moratorium on artificial turf. Occupancy of the new building is projected for 2023. The moratorium will allow further study of the impact of these contaminants on human health and the environment so that residents and town officials can make an informed decision, which would also be based on a new MassDEP drinking water standard for PFAS, which is currently being developed. Additional information is available from: Debbie Tatro; [email protected].