Friends of Concord-Carlisle Playing Fields

This letter to the editor of the Concord Journal was published April 24th, 2008:

Dear Fellow Concordian,

Last Saturday’s Boston Globe featured an article titled “Lead found in artificial turf in New Jersey”. The article describes the decision to close two sports fields in New Jersey after health officials discovered unexpectedly high levels of lead in the artificial turf surfaces. According to the Associated Press, the Consumer Product Safety Commission is investigating possible health hazards from lead exposure in artificial fields.

The pigment used to color the nylon fiber used in the New Jersey fields contains lead chromate, a component used to extend the yarn color lifespan. Lead chromate is a highly insoluble compound which is diluted and microencapsulated within the nylon fiber. In fact, OSHA requires no protective measures when handling the turf.

Whichever direction the New Jersey investigation takes, it is irrelevant to the CCHS fields project. The product being installed on our fields is Sprinturf Ultrablade DF. While this product contains extremely low levels of lead chromate, the product is made of polyethylene, not nylon. Quoting from the same Boston Globe article:

“The New Jersey Health Department found lead in both the nylon fields it tested, but in none of the ten polyethylene surfaces it examined”.

On a more positive note, the fields project is nearing completion, with an official inauguration scheduled for early June. The hundreds of weather-related spring sport cancellations and the capacity shortages that have limited kids from participating in sports will soon be a thing of the past.

Sincerely,

Erik Jarnryd
Implementation Coordinator – CCHS Project
Friends of CC Fields