BURRILLVILLE – An effort by a group of Burrillville residents to raise awareness about the dangers of synthetic turf fields continued this week at a meeting where scientists and other experts presented their research to a group of more than 40 guests, along with virtual attendees.
The meeting was organized, at least in part, in response to a Burrillville Town Council meeting held on Thursday, Sept. 5, where town officials presented the results of testing and data used in the decision to move forward with a current project that includes installation of an artificial field at Burrillville High School.
“This is the meeting that we asked for,” said Adam Schatz, one of the organizers of the event held on Tuesday, Sept. 17. “This is what we wanted – an opportunity to share information, to have a discussion and open dialog.”
A town-run page dedicated to information on the project has focused on testing results that showed only trace levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – or PFAS – in turf field materials, as well as reports from experts hired by the town.
Opponents of the project launched the Protect Burrillville website to share resources, initially noting that the town did not appear to be posting documents expressing concern with the project.
Town Manager Michael Wood pointed out this week that a joint letter from the Rhode Island Department of Health and the Department of Environmental Management documenting concern about the potential for PFAS to contaminate ground water, along with a response from consulting firm TRC, has been published along with other project-related information here. In regards to a second communication in opposition from the Conservation Law Foundation, he noted that the town, “tries not to post unverified information of this nature on our web site.”
“Much of the information in the CLF correspondence has not been reviewed/verified by the town’s consultants and/or solicitor,” Wood said.
Schatz noted that the six speakers who participated on Tuesday were not paid for their time.
“They are getting nothing out of this other than sharing information,” Schatz said. “You don’t find transparency in consultants that are paid to go from town to town to sell this product.”
Proponents of the town’s artificial turf project have pointed to the ubiquitous nature of PFAS, which are also found in many common household products. The town’s presentation earlier this month pointed to what officials deemed to be greater local risks to health and the environment, noting the the amount of PFAS in the entire field is the equivalent weight of one drop of water.
Tuesday’s forum participants, meanwhile, pointed to the complexity of the problem, stating that PFAS – the primary focus of the Burrillville project to date – are just one part of the issue.
“What you’re going to hear this evening is a lot of different issues and concerns – environmental and health issues,” said Tracy Stewart, an advocate against synthetic turf from Medway, Mass., who served as the event moderator. “PFAS is one of the number one issues. But it’s also the injuries. It’s the environmental impact. Tire crumb is still a major concern and issue on these fields.”
Presenters discussed research on a vast variety of chemicals present in layers of the turf, noting that, “PFAS,” refers to a class of some 15,000 – only six of which are regulated in Rhode Island. The fields, they noted, shed micro plastics, and chemicals wash off the surface over time, causing environmental hazards.
“Half of the chemicals, we actually don’t know what they do when we’re exposed to them, and we do not know how to test for them in the body,” said Sarah Evans, an environmental health scientist at Mount Sinai.
“From an environmental perspective, there is many more things besides PFAS,” said Susan Chapnick, president and principal scientist of NEH, Inc., pointing to the cumulative affects of other toxic chemicals such as zinc and 6PPD-quinone, and stating that testing ordered by the town of Burrillville didn’t analyze infill.
NRI NOW later learned that the statement regarding infill was inaccurate. The results of testing conducted by TRC, found here, show results for infill testing.
Evans discussed studies on the effects of exposure to turf on children.
“We’re very concerned about children’s exposure to heat on artificial turf,” she said, noting that the surface reaches more than 100 degrees on 80 degree day, with spikes of up to 150 degrees. The fields, she said, get hot enough to cause heat illness, second degree burns and skin blistering.
Evans noted that in December of 2023 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said that, “PFAS poses a significant risks to human health, including cancer, even at very low levels.”
“They have declared this class of chemicals to be an urgent public health threat,” Evans said.
Chapnick, who also serves as acting quality assurance officer at several USEPA Superfund sites, discussed effects of the fields on the environment.
“Chemical hazards escape from artificial turf fields because many of the components are soluble in water,” said Chapnick.
Chapnick noted that PFAS are found in the grass blades, infills and backing of the fields.
“They shed plastic blades as well as the tire crumb rubber,” she said, noting that the fields are not recyclable, and contribute to pollution, climate change and loss of habitat.
“There is a practical alternative, which is an organic or sustainably managed natural grass field,” Chapnik said.
Research Director for the Ecology Center Jeff Gearhart discussed results of a recent study of the effects of hazardous chemicals on the endocrine system, and noted that individual chemicals can be hard to study and access.
“There’s some complex chemistry going on here,” said Gearhart. “It’s a lot to take in even for those of us who have been studying this for awhile. A lot of our science work is trying to nail down what’s going on. It’s very challenging science.”
Gearhart noted that his Michigan community was impacted by a plating company that contaminated area fisheries. He noted that his wife was a college soccer player, and that his own biomonitoring results showed PFAS levels above the 50th percentile, putting him at greater health risk.
“It’s not a turf that’s favorable for players,” he said.
“This is a very real issue for me,” Gearhart said. “This issue is kind of very personal for us.”
“The tire industry and the turf industry have marketed these products as being safe,” he said. “What we’ve had is an uncontrolled experiment happening on our ecosystems and on our health as a result.”
Additional speakers at the two hour plus meeting included Zhenyu Tian, an assistant professor in environmental chemistry at Northeastern University; Rachel Massey, a senior science and policy advisor for the Collaborative for Health and Environment; and Diana Carpinone, co-executive director of Non Toxic Communities and founder of Non Toxic Dover NH.
Following the meeting, NRI NOW clarified with Town Council President Donald Fox that testing performed by Eurofins and later reported by TRC addressed not just the chemicals regulated in the state, but rather measured for 30 different items. Fox also pointed to a recent study by the EPA with results that, “support the conclusion that although chemicals are present (as expected) in the tire crumb rubber and exposures can occur, they are likely limited.”
Fox also said that the information provided by the town has focused on PFAS because that’s what was originally requested by those with concerns.
Schatz noted that the Burrillville group has filed a lawsuit against the town that aims to stop installation of the turf and said that those who wish to help can donate funds for the legal battle through the Burrillville Land Trust, and can also sign an ongoing petition.
Resident Norman Desjarlais has published video of the full forum, which can be found here.
Wood later told NRI NOW, “Now that the town is in litigation over this project, we have redirected our time and resources to address related matters and defend against the litigation, rather than responding to project related rhetoric.”
Editor’s note: The above article has been edited to include links to TRC’s testing on infills, as well as comments from Town Council President Fox and Town Manager Michael Wood. We have also clarified that Eurofins was the company that performed the testing and noted that the joint letter from RIDOH & DEM is available on the town website.
How many parents see little black bits and bits of plastic in their house after a school sport played on one of those fields. Those tiny particles get sniffed up by your pets. Not just us. The animals suffer too.
It won’t become a superfund site BUT the residents will pay the price to filter it (reverse osmosis $thousands$) from their wells. Thank you Burrillville for putting this together. North Smithfield wake up please.
The infill comment is half right – infill was tested for PFAS despite the fact that PFAS is not part of the rubber manufacturing process, but it was not tested for other metals or degradation.