100 signatures reached
To: Palo Alto Parks and Recreation Staff and Commission members and the Palo Alto City Council
Stop the Plastic Takeover of Palo Alto Parks: Tell the city that we want natural not plastic grass!
Please join us to call on the City of Palo Alto to:
Enact a moratorium on future conversions of natural grass athletic fields to plastic grass and on future installations of plastic grass in children’s playgrounds and dog parks.
Plastic grass sheds microplastic, leads to increased injuries, exposes athletes and groundskeepers to PFAS, destroys the soil and evicts wildlife.
Plastic grass sheds microplastic, leads to increased injuries, exposes athletes and groundskeepers to PFAS, destroys the soil and evicts wildlife.
There is a safe affordable alternative:
Natural grass fields are cooler, support biodiversity, absorb carbon dioxide, produce oxygen, can be managed without toxic chemical inputs, and when well maintained, provide a safer playing surface.
Natural grass is more inviting for all types of activities, whether it be an organized sport, a family going out to toss a ball, or a community event such as a movie night. Sustainably managed and drought-tolerant playing fields are available and cost competitive, including the maintenance and water-usage.
Why is this important?
We ALL want better parks and sports fields for our community but we (including athletes) believe plastic is not the answer and here's why:
· Health & Safety Risks: Plastic grass increases the risk of burns, ACL injuries, and chemical exposure. Health experts, including Mount Sinai’s Children’s Environmental Health Center, recommend a moratorium.
· Toxic additives and microplastic contamination: Plastic grass components have been found to contain toxic chemicals including phthalates, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, “forever chemicals”) and bisphenols.
· Loss of Soil & Wildlife Habitat: Grass kills soil life and removes habitat and foraging space for urban wildlife..
· Climate Contradiction: Plastic grass manufacturing and disposal produce greenhouse gases, undermining the City’s Sustainability and Climate Action Plan.
· Heat & Flooding Impacts: Plastic grass surfaces significo increase local temperatures. Also, because they are impermeable, they worsen neighborhood flooding and reduce groundwater recharge.
· Pollution throughout life cycle: Plastic grass is made from fossil fuels and pollutes at every stage—from extraction to disposal.
o Fossil fuel extraction includes dangerous fracking and transporting of oils by boat, pipeline, etc.
o Plastics manufacturing employees and neighbors have increased rates of many types of cancers.
o Most of the plastics end up in landfills or incinerators within 10 years or fewer, contradicting Palo Alto’s Zero Waste goals.
o Plastic grass recycling is so far rare. It is expensive and ¼ of the material still ends up in landfills. Also, the products made with the recycled content may contain PFAS and other unwanted and toxic ingredients from the used grass.
o The San Francisco Estuary Institute found plastic grass contributes PFAS and microplastic pollution to the Bay, threatening ecosystems and public health.
Plastic grass manufacturers promoting their products have not been honest. Field Grass North America, the manufacturer of Mayfield’s new plastic grass declared it was PFAS free. However when Palo Alto’s consulting industrial engineer analyzed the company’s data, the analysis revealed the opposite—that the plastic grass fibers are primarily a fluoride-based polymer that has been identified by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control as an intentionally-added PFAS for plastic grass.
California SB 676 (Allen) allows cities and counties to ban plastic grass, as the city of Millbrae has done. Boston and the State of New York have already taken responsible action by implementing plastic grass moratoriums. Palo Alto—known for banning plastic bags and straws—should lead once again by rejecting plastic fields that each represent up to 40,000 pounds of plastic, over 40 million plastic straws!
Plastic grass is not only a problem in athletic fields. When used in children’s playgrounds it exposes our most vulnerable population to their toxic components. Plastic grass in dog parks consumes more water than natural grass, as it is watered heavily to clean dog wastes from the plastic blades.