Boston bans artificial turf in parks due to toxic ‘forever chemicals’

By Tom Perkins | The Guardian | September 30, 2022

Read the full article by Tom Perkins (The Guardian)

"Boston’s mayor, Michelle Wu, has ordered no new artificial turf to be installed in city parks, making Boston the largest municipality in a small but growing number around the nation to limit use of the product because it contains dangerous chemicals.

All artificial turf is made with toxic PFAS compounds and some is still produced with ground-up tires that can contain heavy metals, benzene, VOCs and other carcinogens that can present a health threat. The material also emits high levels of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and sheds microplastics and other chemicals into waterways.

“We already know there are toxic chemicals in the products, so why would we continue to utilize them and have children roll around on them when we have a safe alternative, which is natural grass?” asked Sarah Evans, an environmental health professor for the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai."

Topics:

• ChemicalsPFAS
• Products
• Affected community
• Health
• Measurement Techniques
• Monitoring Data
• PFAS Uses