Potentially Toxic Dust Cloud at MCPS HS from Artifical Turf Field Installation

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Why can't they just grow grass? It's no that hard. it's a weed.[/quote]

Had you been to a grass MCPS field? Even in HS they are so overused and not maintained (unless your PTA takes care of it- Churchill). You get holes and huge mud puddles. Not safe for our student athletes.

And the MS and ES fields are gravel and mud within 2 years (even the brand new fields get this way within a couple years). Again, overuse and not enough maintenance.

The turf fields are cheaper in the long run, and now that they are not using the rubber tire filler, it is much better.

But hey, living leads to dying so...[/quote]

Turf fields are full of carcinogens, they have no give with many ankle and knee tears. They also run extremely hot and kids have gotten 2nd degree burnsvon them.

Not taking care of a field is the counties issue. Having only one field is an issue. Most schools outside of MC have multiple fields for girls and boys. [/quote]

Agreed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the poster who felt the need to repost the entire testimony before the board of education on the Richard Montgomery field (mom?) you should know that MCPS and the vendor fixed that field. And they changed the way they layer the infill on the turf fields so that Einstein and Whitman and now Julius West are being done differently, correctly. This will not be an issue going forward.

This student's public comment was after the "fix."
The fix failed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am so upset to read this. I had no idea about turf fields and my son just began playing twice per week for this fall on a turf field. Im going to have such anxiety over this

Channel your anxiety into figuring out the type of field. If it is crumb rubber you have reason to worry. If it is organic or new polymer infill you are fine.

Artificial turf are heat islands. They get up to 150 degrees. The infill MCPS is using now will actually make the fields hotter. Children are still getting burned and heat exhaustion on these fields, regardless of the infill.

The student public comment was not about crumb rubber. It was about sand and zeolite (kitty litter) being experimented with as infill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It already has.

And it has killed some. Heat exhaustion on these fields is a known danger and children have died using these fields.

Find a funny meme for that. You might as well, you are getting paid to sit on this board and cover for MCPS.

[Anonymous]

I don't think that anyone can say definitively that artificial turf of any type is safe. It's very hard to prove safety, particularly on a relatively new product. There are no standards that I know of. "Organic" in this context does not mean much (unlike in food, for which the term is regulated). Crude oil is "organic."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think that anyone can say definitively that artificial turf of any type is safe. It's very hard to prove safety, particularly on a relatively new product. There are no standards that I know of. "Organic" in this context does not mean much (unlike in food, for which the term is regulated). Crude oil is "organic."

Nobody can say definitively that ANYTHING is safe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The ignorance is incredible. Grass fields can’t withstand the level of play we need in this densely populated area. One synthetic field can withstand the play of 5-8 grass fields.

Are you interested in restricting sports; which will contribute to the obesity epidemic we are experiencing? Or cut down trees to accommodate new fields? Not all synthetic turf fields are toxic, so before you protest something take the time to learn about the issue.

Maybe something to consider when the people who are so aggressively pushing high density housing for MoCo are raving about the benefits.

It’s not always ideal to cram more people and more students into an already densely populated area.

So we should continue to develop on farm fields with no infrastructure, where people have to drive long distances to get anywhere, which is terrible for the (1) environment (2) government budgets (3) people's quality of life, because otherwise there are too many people using the grass sports fields? Seriously, PP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think that anyone can say definitively that artificial turf of any type is safe. It's very hard to prove safety, particularly on a relatively new product. There are no standards that I know of. "Organic" in this context does not mean much (unlike in food, for which the term is regulated). Crude oil is "organic."

Nobody can say definitively that ANYTHING is safe.

But you know what they can do? They can measure the HEAT generated by a grass field and compare it to a PLASTIC field.

It's called science.

And based on the known data, the artificial turf fields run up to 150+ degrees on a warm day.

BCC HS field - August 6th:

Air temp ~90 degrees
Grass temp ~ 92 degrees
Artificial turf temp ~135+ degrees

August 20th:
Artificial turf temp ~ 151 degrees
[/img]https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10157488956873926&set=pb.594928925.-2207520000.1567773163.&type=3&theater[img]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think that anyone can say definitively that artificial turf of any type is safe. It's very hard to prove safety, particularly on a relatively new product. There are no standards that I know of. "Organic" in this context does not mean much (unlike in food, for which the term is regulated). Crude oil is "organic."

Nobody can say definitively that ANYTHING is safe.

But you know what they can do? They can measure the HEAT generated by a grass field and compare it to a PLASTIC field.

It's called science.

And based on the known data, the artificial turf fields run up to 150+ degrees on a warm day.

BCC HS field - August 6th:

Air temp ~90 degrees
Grass temp ~ 92 degrees
Artificial turf temp ~135+ degrees

August 20th:
Artificial turf temp ~ 151 degrees
[/img]https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10157488956873926&set=pb.594928925.-2207520000.1567773163.&type=3&theater[img]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10157488956873926&set=pb.594928925.-2207520000.1567773163.&type=3&theater

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can't they just grow grass? It's no that hard. it's a weed.

Had you been to a grass MCPS field? Even in HS they are so overused and not maintained (unless your PTA takes care of it- Churchill). You get holes and huge mud puddles. Not safe for our student athletes.

And the MS and ES fields are gravel and mud within 2 years (even the brand new fields get this way within a couple years). Again, overuse and not enough maintenance.

The turf fields are cheaper in the long run, and now that they are not using the rubber tire filler, it is much better.

But hey, living leads to dying so...

The RM field is the same as the one going in at BCC, so SUCK IT UP KIDS!!!

PUBLIC COMMENTS
BEFORE THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
July 11, 2019

RE: RICHARD MONTGOMERY HIGH SCHOOL’S DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS ARTIFICIAL TURF
FROM: JOSEPH P KING, STUDENT

Good evening members of the Board of Education and Superintendent Smith. My name is JOEY King and I am a student from Julius West. My brother is on the Richard Montgomery Football Team and I am here to speak on his behalf since he is at health class this morning.

Since football practice is about to start again, we have all been talking about various home-made padding that we may be able to use to protect his skin, elbows, and legs when practice starts again and during the season.

We were talking about the reports that you also heard about last month at this meeting and also about testimony that you heard last year school year from Molly Winchenbach from the Soccer Team. It seems sad to know that there still hasn’t been commitment by the County to do anything about this during the summer before all the athletes are back on the field. “Looking into it,” was the answer that was given at the last meeting but that is not a good enough answer and probably wouldn’t be one that our teachers would accept if we tried that.

MCPS has already sent out samples of the turf and found clear reasons for the difference between our
field and the other field at Whitman that was replaced recently. This has been known since February.
Can you please tell me, today, a reason that this is being ignored?

• RM’s field is four times the FIFA standard!

Can you please tell me, as I am sure you have found out by now, what was the reason for this?
Who is responsible?
When is it going to be fixed?

MCPS has already verified what was obvious: there is something very wrong with the RM turf and the injuries are too many.
What are you going to do about it?

The band-aid that MCPS came up with last spring did not work. The injuries have continued.
Not only are you putting their bodies in danger, you are also putting their futures at risk because their
ability to perform is affected. It is unfair for the players that have worked so hard to have their
opportunities for college scholarship potentially affected due to MCPS not choosing to do the right thing here.

This cannot be the outcome with which you are satisfied.

I have heard that MCPS is in the investigating the replacement of all or most of the fill in RM’s turf all at once over the summer but, since I haven’t heard more, I am afraid that you have decided to not allocate funds or energy for us.

For the sake of my teammates, I am asking you to ensure this remediation gets done immediately.
Please. Do you agree that you owe it to the students whose health and safety you say are your top
priority.

You know, for fact, that this turf is 4x the standard for abrasiveness.
You know the reasons why it is so abrasive.
You know what you need to do to fix it.
Don’t waste anymore time while more students get hurt.

Please. Do it now.

Thank you.

I have seen the pictures, if those kids are calling that an injury no wonder the kids these days are so soft, they are scraps, some may call them strawberries. they happen on basketball courts, volleyball courts, look at a gymnasts hands or even a cheerleaders nose after getting kicked in a stunt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think that anyone can say definitively that artificial turf of any type is safe. It's very hard to prove safety, particularly on a relatively new product. There are no standards that I know of. "Organic" in this context does not mean much (unlike in food, for which the term is regulated). Crude oil is "organic."

Nobody can say definitively that ANYTHING is safe.

But you know what they can do? They can measure the HEAT generated by a grass field and compare it to a PLASTIC field.

It's called science.

And based on the known data, the artificial turf fields run up to 150+ degrees on a warm day.

BCC HS field - August 6th:

Air temp ~90 degrees
Grass temp ~ 92 degrees
Artificial turf temp ~135+ degrees

August 20th:
Artificial turf temp ~ 151 degrees
[/img]https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10157488956873926&set=pb.594928925.-2207520000.1567773163.&type=3&theater[img]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10157488956873926&set=pb.594928925.-2207520000.1567773163.&type=3&theater

anyone who actually knows how the turf is laid will know that the lining of the turf is black, there was no infill on the filed yet when those images were taken and plastered around, Also interesting note is Ms. Faber has taken down her post on the neighborhood facebook page perhaps she realized that she doesn't know everything she claims. I wonder what she will do when Landon moves forward with adding more turf fields.

There are plenty of heat tests on lots and lots of artificial turf fields that show the same massive increase in heat on these surfaces. The heat island generated by these fields can be seen from space.

Now try to explain away Jordan McNair's death from heat on artificial turf. Go ahead. You are getting paid to troll this site.

https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2018/07/17/umd-football-players-death-caused-by-heat-stroke/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think that anyone can say definitively that artificial turf of any type is safe. It's very hard to prove safety, particularly on a relatively new product. There are no standards that I know of. "Organic" in this context does not mean much (unlike in food, for which the term is regulated). Crude oil is "organic."

Nobody can say definitively that ANYTHING is safe.

But you know what they can do? They can measure the HEAT generated by a grass field and compare it to a PLASTIC field.

It's called science.

And based on the known data, the artificial turf fields run up to 150+ degrees on a warm day.

BCC HS field - August 6th:

Air temp ~90 degrees
Grass temp ~ 92 degrees
Artificial turf temp ~135+ degrees

August 20th:
Artificial turf temp ~ 151 degrees
[/img]https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10157488956873926&set=pb.594928925.-2207520000.1567773163.&type=3&theater[img]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10157488956873926&set=pb.594928925.-2207520000.1567773163.&type=3&theater

anyone who actually knows how the turf is laid will know that the lining of the turf is black, there was no infill on the filed yet when those images were taken and plastered around, Also interesting note is Ms. Faber has taken down her post on the neighborhood facebook page perhaps she realized that she doesn't know everything she claims. I wonder what she will do when Landon moves forward with adding more turf fields.

There are plenty of heat tests on lots and lots of artificial turf fields that show the same massive increase in heat on these surfaces. The heat island generated by these fields can be seen from space.

Now try to explain away Jordan McNair's death from heat on artificial turf. Go ahead. You are getting paid to troll this site.

https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2018/07/17/umd-football-players-death-caused-by-heat-stroke/

Explain away this research.

https://plantscience.psu.edu/research/centers/ssrc/documents/temperature.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think that anyone can say definitively that artificial turf of any type is safe. It's very hard to prove safety, particularly on a relatively new product. There are no standards that I know of. "Organic" in this context does not mean much (unlike in food, for which the term is regulated). Crude oil is "organic."

Nobody can say definitively that ANYTHING is safe.

But you know what they can do? They can measure the HEAT generated by a grass field and compare it to a PLASTIC field.

It's called science.

And based on the known data, the artificial turf fields run up to 150+ degrees on a warm day.

BCC HS field - August 6th:

Air temp ~90 degrees
Grass temp ~ 92 degrees
Artificial turf temp ~135+ degrees

August 20th:
Artificial turf temp ~ 151 degrees
[/img]https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10157488956873926&set=pb.594928925.-2207520000.1567773163.&type=3&theater[img]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10157488956873926&set=pb.594928925.-2207520000.1567773163.&type=3&theater

anyone who actually knows how the turf is laid will know that the lining of the turf is black, there was no infill on the filed yet when those images were taken and plastered around, Also interesting note is Ms. Faber has taken down her post on the neighborhood facebook page perhaps she realized that she doesn't know everything she claims. I wonder what she will do when Landon moves forward with adding more turf fields.

There are plenty of heat tests on lots and lots of artificial turf fields that show the same massive increase in heat on these surfaces. The heat island generated by these fields can be seen from space.

Now try to explain away Jordan McNair's death from heat on artificial turf. Go ahead. You are getting paid to troll this site.

https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2018/07/17/umd-football-players-death-caused-by-heat-stroke/

Explain away this research.

https://plantscience.psu.edu/research/centers/ssrc/documents/temperature.pdf

Try explaining this one.

The artificial turf at the Women’s World Cup was reportedly 120 degrees at kick off

That’s almost unsafe to play on, according to a study cited by the Las Vegas Sun in 2009. The research, partly funded by the city of Las Vegas, found artificial turf above 122 degrees is considered unsafe for sustained athletic use and that, depending on the air temperature, turf can get as hot as 180 degrees.

“This was a temperature where if you put your hand down on it, you could only hold it for five seconds or so before it would burn,” Dale Devitt, director of the Center for Urban Water Conservation at the University of Nevada Las Vegas told the Sun. He conducted the study along with the Desert Research Institute’s Division of Hydrological Sciences.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2015/06/06/the-artificial-turf-at-the-womens-world-cup-was-reportedly-120-degrees-at-kick-off/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think that anyone can say definitively that artificial turf of any type is safe. It's very hard to prove safety, particularly on a relatively new product. There are no standards that I know of. "Organic" in this context does not mean much (unlike in food, for which the term is regulated). Crude oil is "organic."

Nobody can say definitively that ANYTHING is safe.

But you know what they can do? They can measure the HEAT generated by a grass field and compare it to a PLASTIC field.

It's called science.

And based on the known data, the artificial turf fields run up to 150+ degrees on a warm day.

BCC HS field - August 6th:

Air temp ~90 degrees
Grass temp ~ 92 degrees
Artificial turf temp ~135+ degrees

August 20th:
Artificial turf temp ~ 151 degrees
[/img]https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10157488956873926&set=pb.594928925.-2207520000.1567773163.&type=3&theater[img]

The EU has over 17,000 synthetic fields, including in Spain, Portugal and Italy which are significantly hotter than here. FIFA only plays on artificial turf. MCPS may be using the wrong material, I have no clue, but there are materials that are acceptable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think that anyone can say definitively that artificial turf of any type is safe. It's very hard to prove safety, particularly on a relatively new product. There are no standards that I know of. "Organic" in this context does not mean much (unlike in food, for which the term is regulated). Crude oil is "organic."

Nobody can say definitively that ANYTHING is safe.

But you know what they can do? They can measure the HEAT generated by a grass field and compare it to a PLASTIC field.

It's called science.

And based on the known data, the artificial turf fields run up to 150+ degrees on a warm day.

BCC HS field - August 6th:

Air temp ~90 degrees
Grass temp ~ 92 degrees
Artificial turf temp ~135+ degrees

August 20th:
Artificial turf temp ~ 151 degrees
[/img]https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10157488956873926&set=pb.594928925.-2207520000.1567773163.&type=3&theater[img]

The EU has over 17,000 synthetic fields, including in Spain, Portugal and Italy which are significantly hotter than here. FIFA only plays on artificial turf. MCPS may be using the wrong material, I have no clue, but there are materials that are acceptable.

Time to catch up.

Time to catch up.

FIFA will only allow natural grass fields at the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

The stipulation is contained in requirements sent to bidding nations and follows controversy over the use of artificial turf at the 2015 tournament in Canada.