To the Editor:

At its Aug. 10 meeting, the Guilderland Board of Education voted to include funding of more than $1.5 million for a synthetic turf (synturf) playing field at the high school [“GCSD proposes $21.8M capital plan,” The Altamont Enterprise, Aug. 12, 2021].

The cost is part of the bond referendum that will come before school district voters on Oct. 7, 2021. The term of the bond is 15 years.

The synthetic turf is composed of plastic grass-like blades held up by toxin-laden tire crumb infill.  The surface of synturf can become extremely hot compared with the natural cooling of soil and grass.

Current research identifies serious concerns about the health and safety of athletes exposed to synturf which emits chemical toxins. A survey of professional football players showed that they overwhelmingly preferred natural grass fields, citing concerns that synturf contributes to injuries, causes more soreness and fatigue, and is likely to shorten their careers (safe healthy playing fields.org).

In addition to health and safety concerns, synthetic turf also presents a massive environmental problem. When the field degrades to the point of requiring removal and/or replacement (about eight to 10 years), there is no possibility of recycling or alternative use for the huge quantity of synturf.

Mountains of synturf are accumulating all over the world and have been identified from space. One football field of synturf is the equivalent of 3.2 million plastic bags as cited by Kathy Michels, biomedical researcher.

Voters should give serious consideration to the many negative aspects of synturf and vote “no” on the Oct. 7 school bond referendum.

Lynne Strnad

Guilderland

Editor’s note: See related podcast story.