School board members express opposition to Burrillville turf field; Meeting scheduled for September 5

BURRILLVILLE – With a public meeting for presentation from the town of the latest data related to synthetic turf still pending, some members of the Burrillville School Committee have indicated advance opposition to a project to install an artificial athletic field at Burrillville High School.

“We need to fight until it’s pushed out of town. We need to run these people out of town like they did in other towns,” said Committee member David Landry. “There is proof that the children that are playing on these fields are being impacted. There’s no safe level of pollution – especially a forever pollution like this.”

“I think we’re right at the breaking point of finding out this stuff’s bad,” Landry added. “Lucky for us, we have time. We have time to say, ‘not one ounce of rubber is being put on that field.’ We need to do this for the kids.”

The statements come even as work continues on a project to replace the field at the East Avenue school, with construction now underway of the corresponding amenities, including bleachers and a viewing plaza. The long discussed school facility upgrade officially broke ground in May, but concerned residents came forward soon after, raising awareness of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – or PFAS – found in the turf. The chemicals are known to pose health risks and have been linked to cancers as well as thyroid, immune system and liver problems.

On Wednesday, August 13, opponents took their concerns to the school board.

“I can appreciate where you come from,” resident Irene Watson told the committee. “We all want our children to have nice things, but we certainly don’t want to do anything to harm them. I hope that Burrillville will be in the forefront of just saying, ‘no, let’s just have a grass field.'”

Planning for construction of the new BHS field began several years ago, and the Burrillville Town Council approved an agreement with contractor FieldTurf to install the new synthetic field in 2022. The project is set to include upgrades to lighting, an ADA-accessible viewing plaza and construction of a 1,000-seat grandstand, surrounded by fencing and a six-foot-wide walking path.

Those in favor of moving forward with the project point out that synthetic fields are thought to be easier to maintain, and are able to handle more usage than traditional grass. They note that the trace amounts of chemicals typically found in the turf are considered safe, and point to the ubiquitous nature of PFAS already in the environment.

The town recently created a webpage dedicated to information about the field, and testing of the materials set to be installed in Burrillville is currently underway, as is scheduling of a public meeting to discuss the findings.

Supt. Michael Sollitto noted that the construction now taking place needs to be completed regardless of whether or not the town ultimately installs artificial turf. The turf, he said, is currently scheduled to be placed in the end of September or early October. Sollitto said a public meeting to first discuss the testing had tentatively been scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 5.

Town Council President Donald Fox has since confirmed that the meeting will be held in the auditorium of Burrillville High School at 425 East Ave., although the agenda has yet to be posted.

On Wednesday, several in attendance questioned the independence of the company performing those tests, TRC Consulting of Massachusetts.

“The Town Council has promised due diligence and transparency, and I think it’s safe to say that we’re not seeing either of those,” said resident Adam Schatz, noting that a representative from FieldTurf referred to the TRC consultant as, “our resident expert,” at a Burrillville Town Council meeting held in June. “The reason for that is she’s gone with them to four different communities. That’s a conflict of interest.”

Resident Roberta Lacey said that ESS Group, Inc. – a firm that did consulting services for Invenergy when that company hoped to build a power plant in Burrillville – has since been bought by TRC.

Lacey also pointed to the high level of PFAS discovered in one of the wells by North Smithfield High School, which has an artificial turf field.

“It’s right downgrade from the field,” Lacey said. “North Smithfield has a very deep well. You have to have a point source.”

Resident Pia Mueller cited efforts by the NFL to convert synthetic fields back to grass, stating that 92 percent of NFL players are openly speaking out against artificial turf.

“Various studies have shown that the number of injuries on artificial turf is significantly higher compared to playing on grass,” Mueller said.

Tracy Stewart, an field opponent from Medway, Mass., said that turf fields have become a way to dispose of scrap tire.

At one site in Franklin, Mass., Stewart said, “We have tire crumb in our retention ponds.”

“It’s important for you to understand that this is fairly new information and it’s evolving science,” Stewart added.

The words did not fall on deaf ears.

“Our job is to protect our children and the kids that come onto the school grounds,” said Landry. “The second one of our kids steps on that field, they’re being exposed to these chemicals. It’s not in five years, when it finally makes its way down into the water. It’s the second they step on to that field.”

Landry pointed out that the standards for PFAS are changing and becoming more stringent as both state and federal level authorities look to protect human health. This year, the Rhode Island General Assembly passed a law banning the addition of PFAS to most consumer products sold or manufactured in the state by Jan. 1, 2027, with additional products banned on Jan. 1, 2029. And the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s stated goal is to set the acceptable level of water contamination from PFAS at zero.

“I don’t want to hear that ‘it’s under the state level.’ They keep changing the state level and the state level soon is going to be zero,” he said. “It doesn’t sit well with me, and I know it doesn’t sit well with most of us on this committee.”

Committee member Jill Calapai thanked Landry for speaking out.

“I have a big voice and this is an ideal time to use it,” Calapai said. “If you just say to me, ‘there’s a chance something could happen to your child or someone else’s child,’ to me, it’s a no brainer.”

Calapai noted that her kids have played soccer on synthetic turf, and sometimes little black pieces of tire fall out of their socks.

“I guess for me, the biggest thing is, why take a chance on that?” Calapai said. “We are all here because we are looking out for the best interest of the kids.”

Committee member Sean Bouzan noted that when school board members receive training from the Rhode Island Department of Education, a main topic is the importance of the health and safety of everyone on school property.

“When this started coming up I started diving back in to that presentation,” Bouzan said. “If there’s any chance any of the kids could be hurt, it’s not worth doing. What is the cost of health?”

Not all of the committee members were so convinced.

Chairperson Silvia St. Pierre pointed out that most towns in Rhode Island currently have synthetic turf fields.

Member Victor Bevilacqua said he wants to hear the town’s presentation.

“I’m embracing what you’re sharing with me,” Bevilacqua said. “I’m waiting for the town’s response to your concerns. I know some people are very passionate about it. I’m a little more reserved, but I’m willing to take a look.”

“Apparently there’s research being done, and we do need to hear that first,” agreed St. Pierre. “We can make a decision right after that if we need to.”

Discussion remained civil, but several residents in attendance got up to question committee members positions.

“Change has to start somewhere and you guys have a chance, right now, to make that for the rest of the state,” said Samantha Young. “Make the right decision and say, ‘no,’ to the artificial turf – and show other towns that it’s possible to say, ‘no.’ It’s as simple as that. Stand up and say, ‘no.'”