Letter: Think twice when considering turf fields

Posted 1/17/19

To the editor:

Artificial turf fields are not as nice as they are portrayed to be.  

The upkeep is extensive; they cannot be used when they are wet as they are slippery which is a …

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Letter: Think twice when considering turf fields

Posted

To the editor:

Artificial turf fields are not as nice as they are portrayed to be.  

The upkeep is extensive; they cannot be used when they are wet as they are slippery which is a hazard to anyone playing on them. Unlike natural fields they retain such things as blood, and bacteria/viruses. In addition to that, players often come off the field partially covered with black dusty particles on their skin, especially players such as goalies.  

The Center for Environmental Health says “..artificial turf is often treated with biocides, as turf has been associated with increased risk of infections from methicillin-resistant staphylococcus.” MRSA can be spread on these fields along with other types of infections.

The picture that you see here is a picture of the artificial turf field at the university where I worked for many years. I guess it seemed like a good idea. But with the winter snow storms and rain, the upkeep that was needed to be able to use it was a quite lot of work and very inconvenient for the players. And as you can see the snow that was gently plowed by specialized plows was filled with black tire particles. 

Another concern is the environmental impact that these fields have on the land that it occupies. These fields absorb more heat than a natural grass field. Natural grass fields reduce temperatures by absorbing heat during the day and releasing it in the evening. Artificial turf does the opposite. It can contribute to rising temperatures in urban areas. This is because turf fields absorb rather than reflect sunlight.

"Synthetic does nothing to enhance biodiversity… they do not contain microorganisms that can break down pollutants.”

Barbara Flanders

Barrington

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