“We only discovered PFAS in artificial turf in 2019. It takes years for regulation to catch up with science. In addition, the synthetic turf lobby and tire industries are rich and they lobby. Yes, they will be outlawed soon. There are bills pending in CA, MA, CT, VT and a host of other states to ban artificial turf.”
~ Dr. Kyla Bennett, Director, Science Policy at Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER)
Pending legislation: Connecticut, Vermont, Massachusetts, California
Toxicity
- ALL artificial turf contains PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).
- PFAS are known as forever chemicals because they don’t break down in the environment or in our bodies.
- Infill is typically crumb rubber (ground up automotive tires) or alternative infills that contain synthetic chemicals.
Climate Change
Plastics and Health
The Westfield School District is not aligned with the NJ Department of Education!
New Jersey became the first state in the nation to include climate change across content areas. The NJ Department of Education website states “The New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS) are designed to prepare students to understand how and why climate change happens, the impact it has on our local and global communities and to act in informed and sustainable ways.”
Edison students will be taught to understand how and why climate change happens and how they can act in informed and sustainable ways. They will learn that plastics are petrochemical products that offgas invisible greenhouse gasses and contribute directly to climate change.
Students will then watch as their district leaders replace a six acre carbon sink with a PFAS-laden plastic heat island next to their school knowing it will eventually be shipped off to a landfill – a cycle that will continue indefinitely.