Template Letter to Send to the Town Council in Opposition of the Artificial Turf Field

 

If you oppose the turf field project and want to voice your opposition to the town council and school committee, here is a template letter that can be sent to the town clerks.

Town Council Clerk:  vmartin@burrillville.org

School Committee Clerk: calapaij@bsd-ri.net

Dear Town Council Members,

 

I would like to begin this letter by acknowledging and thanking you for your dedication and involvement in the town of Burrillville. None of you would be in the seats you are in if you did not care deeply about the town, its wellbeing, and our community. The hours you spend on community events, town council meetings, social outreach programs, special meetings, budget reviews, and planning are a testament to your unwavering commitment and belief that Burrillville is truly a special place that we should all be proud to live in.

As a member of that community, I would be remiss if I did not express my concern about the installation of an artificial turf field at the high school. As a resident who values the health and well-being of our citizens and the environment, I feel compelled to voice my worries about the potential risks associated with this project. PFAS have been linked to a variety of adverse health effects, including cancer, liver damage, decreased fertility, and increased risk of asthma and thyroid disease. These substances are known for their persistence in the environment and their ability to accumulate in living organisms. The installation of an artificial turf field, which has been proven to contain these chemicals, presents a significant threat to our local water, especially considering its placement is located directly above the aquifer which is the source of our last safe water supply. Contamination of this vital resource would have far-reaching consequences, impacting the health of our residents which Burrillville unfortunately knows all too well.

The long-term environmental impacts of PFAS contamination are well-documented. Once these chemicals enter the groundwater, they are extremely difficult and costly to remove. Considering the potential health and financial burdens, it is imperative that we take a precautionary approach and avoid introducing PFAS into our environment in the first place.

Since the original plans for the field were discussed many years ago, there has been much more research into PFAS and their impact on the environment and our bodies. RI S2152, better known as the Comprehensive PFAS Ban Act of 2024, which was passed into law on June 26, 2024 and prohibits the intentional addition of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in products including artificial turf, represents only the most recent legislation. As more studies are performed, we may find that the state-of-the-art turf field we were so eager to install will become state’s evidence in upcoming class-action lawsuits. Companies like FieldTurf will inevitably file for bankruptcy leaving the town to shoulder the financial burden of cleanup and remediation.

I urge the Town Council to reconsider the installation of the artificial turf field and instead explore safer alternatives that do not pose a threat to our water supply and public health. Natural grass fields would provide a safe and sustainable solution for our community's recreational needs.

I am confident that the Town Council shares my commitment to protecting the health and well-being of our residents and preserving the natural resources that sustain our community. I respectfully request that you prioritize these values in your decision-making process and take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of our water supply and our citizens.

 

I would like this letter to be included in the public record at the special meeting. My address is [YOUR ADDRESS]

 

Regards,

[YOUR NAME]

The Burrillville Land Trust is in opposition to Artificial Turf Carpet in Burrillville

 

Council
Don Fox, Chair
Town of Burrillville
105 Main Street
Harrisville, Rhode Island 02830

The Burrillville Land Trust is in opposition to the purchase and use of Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Artificial Turf Carpet in Burrillville

This letter is coming from
Paul A. Roselli
665 Maureen Circle
Mapleville, Rhode Island 02839
In my capacity representing the Burrillville Land Trust

Dear Chairman Fox,
Members of the Board of the Burrillville Land Trust, a private, all volunteer land trust, is writing to
you and the members of the Burrillville Town Council to express our opposition to the purchase,
use of, or inclusion of Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in the construction, production
or use of, in laying down artificial turf carpet or components used in the production in and
procurement of artificial turf carpet, anywhere in the Town of Burrillville and to abide by Rhode
Island House Bill 7356 signed intro law on June 26, 2024

The mission of the Burrillville Land Trust is to preserve the rural character of the Town of
Burrillville through education, advocacy and acquisition.

The contents of this letter is in line with the mission of the Burrillville Land Trust.

PFAS, as you may know, are a category of chemicals that contain multiple fluorine atoms bonded
to a chain of carbon atoms. These long carbon-chain molecules are persistent breaking down
over hundreds or thousands of years. Some say that the molecule never breaks down. Industry
has been using these manufactured chemicals since the 1940s: including to waterproof wet
weather gear; make non-stick cookware non-stick; in stain-resistant fabrics and carpets;
firefighting foams; products that are manufactured to be grease-, water- or oil-resistant; fast-food
packaging... the list goes on. Thousands of such chemicals exist. A study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) identified over 4,700 PFAS-related Chemical

Abstract Service (CAS) numbers. PFAS chemicals also pose concerns, including persistence,

bioaccumulation, drinking water contamination and adverse health effects.

In the NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) Safety Data Sheet dated May 16,

2023 Per and Poly-fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are listed as the following: 2

• Highly flammable liquid and vapor
• Toxic if swallowed, in contact with skin or if inhaled
• May be fatal if swallowed and enters airways
• Suspected of causing cancer
• Suspected of damaging fertility or the unborn child
• Causes damage to eyes, kidney, liver, heart, central nervous system
• May cause damage to organs (liver, immune system) through prolonged or repeated exposure
  

Given the severity of these substances as listed in everyday SDSs, its incumbent that the Town

take action to limit and eliminate all known harmful substances from the Town’s procurement list.

Millions of companies, federal, state and municipal governments, and more abide by SDS as

guidance to reduce risk and harm, and to reduce their insurance costs. PFAS and the artificial 3

turf is one such known harmful substance that should never be purchased or used by the Town

Council for the citizens of the Town of Burrillville.4

We ask that the Town of Burrillville Town Council reject the use of and procurement of any and all

Per- and Poly-fluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in artificial turf carpet. And we ask the Town Council

to adhere to the State of Rhode Island legislation enacted on June 26, 2024, the Consumer PFAS

Ban Act of 2024 (Senate Bill S2152), as this legislation imposes a sweeping prohibition on the

use of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in products available for sale or

produced within the state.

Sincerely,

Paul A. Roselli

President, Burrillville Land Trust

Agencies weigh in on Burrillville field, link water concerns to turf

 

Source: https://www.valleybreeze.com/townnews/chemical_industry/agencies-weigh-in-on-burrillville-field-link-water-concerns-to-turf/article_6df35a68-5eff-11ef-9eeb-33ec5909f413.html

BURRILLVILLE – As the new turf field under construction at Burrillville High School nears completion over a local aquifer, Rhode Island Department of Health and Department of Environmental Management representatives are offering concerns “about the potential for PFAS from the turf field to contaminate groundwater in the area.”

The Aug. 15 letter notes that PFAS, a kind of forever chemical linked to some cancers and various other health issues, is found in turf fields, even those claiming to be “PFAS-free.” The trace amounts are not significant enough to cause any harm to those that come into contact with the turf while playing on it, they note, but there are wider concerns.

“The scientific literature has yet to produce a study conclusively linking artificial turf fields with PFAS contamination in groundwater,” the letter reads. “However, sampling data collected by both RIDOH and RIDEM at North Smithfield Junior-Senior High School suggest that the artificial turf field (first constructed in 2007 and upgraded/replaced in 2021) may be partly or wholly contributing to the contamination of nearby private and public drinking water supply wells.”

These concerns echo those of a coalition of conservationists who have protested construction of Burrillville’s turf field for months.

“All of Burrillville municipal water is dependent on the Harrisville Water District, and that’s where that aquifer is,” said Roberta Lacey, one of the leaders in the anti-turf camp. “To you say that we’re a little fearful is an understatement.”

Together with Adam Schatz, Lacey started a petition to protest development of the field. The petition now has close to 1,000 signatures and has gained the support of several School Committee members.

The Town Council approved construction on the field in 2022, partnering with FieldTurf on installation. As part of the process, FieldTurf looped in TRC Companies to evaluate the safety of the field materials. TRC found that such fields do present trace levels of PFAS as a result of the manufacturing process that “does not represent a human health risk” and “does not pose a risk to the environment, the groundwater, the surface water, and the aquifer.”

One criticism highlighted by resident Schatz at an Aug. 13 school board meeting called out the fact that FieldTurf referred to the representative from TRC as the company’s “resident expert,” one who has conducted similar evaluations for comparable projects in four other communities.

The City Council of Portsmouth, New Hampshire voted in 2020 to approve a similar synthetic turf project only if it were “PFAS-free.” FieldTurf won the bid and wrote a letter saying, ”Our supplier has confirmed that their products are free of PFAS, PFOS, and fluorine.”

One independent sample of the turf submitted for testing by a local conservation activist found high levels of organic fluorine, and additional testing found 135 parts per trillion (ppt) of PFOS, far above the EPA’s new maximum containment level for drinking water established in April, which is 4 ppt.

“Earlier this year, the EPA changed the designation of PFAS from an organic fluorinated chemical to a hazardous substance,” Lacey said. “To me, that means zero is acceptable. Zero. Not ‘lower than the guidelines that the EPA is putting out for drinking water right now.’”

For the Burillville project, further testing is being done on the materials used for the crumb rubber inlay that goes above the ground and below the turf fibers, and the results are expected back in the coming weeks. For this and previous testing, TRC has continued to use Eurofins TestAmerica, a lab in Lancaster, Pa.

Council President Donald Fox, who’s been involved with the project since its inception in 2015, told The Breeze that the amount of PFAS associated with the field should be miniscule. So far, testing has confirmed that. He added that the durability of a turf field is more cost-effective and, potentially, environmentally friendly in the long run.

“If you try to play the amount of hours that we intend to put on that field on a natural grass field, it would break down,” he said. The impending turf field would be used for soccer, lacrosse, football, field hockey, the local youth lacrosse league, and potentially many more. Fox also pointed out the condition of the Alumni Field where the football team plays.

“They only play four to five games per year,” he said. “That field gets covered in pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. It gets watered throughout the spring, summer, and fall months. That’s tens of thousands of gallons of water or more. That field is more of an environmental travesty.”

A public meeting to discuss the turf field is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 5, at Burrillville High School, 425 East Ave.

State Officials Warn Burrillville About Installing Turf Field Following PFAS Contamination in North Smithfield

 
State Officials Warn Burrillville About Installing Turf Field Following PFAS Contamination in North Smithfield

Source: https://ecori.org/state-officials-warn-burrillville-about-installing-turf-field-following-pfas-contamination-in-north-smithfield/

BURRILLVILLE, R.I. — After the town of North Smithfield upgraded an artificial turf field in 2021, the level of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, in a well downgradient from the field doubled. Samplings collected by the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) and Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management “suggest that the artificial turf field … may be partly or wholly contributing to the contamination of nearby private and public drinking water supply wells,” both agencies wrote in a letter reviewed by ecoRI News.

The well described in the RIDOH/DEM letter is 150 feet downgradient from North Smithfield Junior-Senior High School’s turf field, which was first installed in 2007 and upgraded with a new turf carpet three years ago. From the most recent sampling, done in June, the agencies detected a PFAS concentration of 61 nanograms per liter (ng/L), double the level found in 2019, before the turf was replaced, and exceeding the state’s 20 ng/L drinking water standard. All of this information came from a letter written to the Burrillville Town Council as that body decides whether to move forward with an artificial turf field scheduled for installation before the new school year begins.

Some residents are fighting to stop the construction of the field for fear that it could contain PFAS and contaminate the town’s water sources. The town has faced severe PFAS contamination before — Oakland village water tested high for the chemicals in 2017, leading to a no drinking water order. FieldTurf, the company hired to install Burrillville’s field, said at a Town Council meeting earlier this year that it can’t guarantee PFAS won’t wash off its product. An expert hired by the company also noted that tests meant to mimic weathering on their field materials had positive results for PFAS, although the expert claimed it was not enough to be harmful to people. FieldTurf is also the company that installed North Smithfield’s artificial turf in 2021.

PFAS, which are also called “forever chemicals,” are found in countless products, from firefighting foam to waterproof clothing, and have been linked to a variety of health problems. “The most important of these include suppression of the body’s response to vaccines and disruption of normal liver and kidney function,” RIDOH and DEM wrote in the letter. RIDOH said it has found about 20 private wells within a quarter-mile of Burrillville’s field. “If PFAS is present in the artificial turf and results in PFAS concentrations in groundwater above 20 ng/L, the School District and/or Town may be required to complete the remedial measures noted above,” including sampling wells, installing and monitoring new wells, and providing drinking water to affected properties, according to the letter.

Roberta Lacey, a local resident and environmentalist, read parts of the letter aloud at a meeting Tuesday night of the Harrisville Fire District & Water Department’s board; the town’s field is located within the district. Lacey has been advocating against the turf installment since she found out about it and its potential connection to PFAS, going so far as to hire a lawyer. Although the fire district/water department board does not decide whether the artificial turf is installed — the final say is up to the Town Council — Lacey urged them to look into doing their own testing and hiring their own expert to investigate the potential harm the field could cause. “I believe that anyone who would knowingly, after they have all this information, do something like this, I just feel like it’s such an insult to firefighters and it’s an insult to the people of Oakland who still have, they haven’t even began to see the results of the contamination they suffered,” she said, referring both to known PFAS contact from firefighting gear and the contamination that occurred in Oakland village.

“I am still listening to all sides,” Town Council member David Houle said after the meeting was over. Houle also sits on the Harrisville Fire District & Water Department board. “I am reading all the evidence,” he added.

The Town Council is scheduled to hold a special meeting Sept. 5 to discuss the project.

Joint Letter from RIDEM/RIDOH

August 15th, 2024 

Burrillville Town Council 

105 Harrisville Main Street 

Harrisville, RI, 02830 

To the members of the Burrillville Town Council, 

Several stakeholders have brought concerns about the installation of an artificial turf football field at Burrillville High School to the Rhode Island Department of Health and Department of Environmental Management (RIDOH and RIDEM, respectively). RIDOH and RIDEM have reviewed the available scientific literature and case studies of similar fields around the country and in Rhode Island. We request that the Council review the results of our analysis and provided resources to aid their deliberation over the installation of the field. 

Potential risks to health 

Artificial turf fields contain a variety of chemicals; however, exposure to these chemicals during playtime is unlikely to increase the risk of negative health effects. Artificial turf made of crumb rubber was the subject of a series of studies from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Centers for Disease Control/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (CDC/ATSDR).(1,2) These studies examined artificial turf fields for the potential to expose people to a variety of chemicals, including metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and volatile organic compounds.(1,2) They concluded that, while these chemicals are present in the turf, people likely have a negligible (meaning zero or close to zero) amount of contact with the chemicals during play.(1,2) Since the amount of contact with contaminants is low, the health risks posed by the chemicals are low during playtime. (1,2) 

Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) have also been reported in artificial turf in scientific literature. (3) PFAS are used during the production of artificial turf to prevent the machines that extrude the plastic from clogging.(4,5) News reports show that artificial turf fields in Boston(6) , Philadelphia7 , and Portsmouth (NH)(8) contain PFAS. PFAS are a group of chemicals known as “forever chemicals” because they do not break down in the environment. Exposure to PFAS over a long period of time can increase the risk for negative health effects such as higher cholesterol levels, lower infant birth weights, weakened immune response, and some cancers, including kidney cancer.(9) Some types of artificial turf that are advertised as “PFAS free” have still been shown to contain PFAS when tested by independent third parties.(8,10) 

While PFAS is present in artificial turf, exposure during playtime would likely be similar to exposures to the contaminants monitored in the EPA/CDC/ATSDR report. This means that exposures to PFAS during playtime would not likely increase the risk of negative health effects. 

RIDOH and RIDEM are most concerned about the potential for PFAS from the turf field to contaminate groundwater in the area. The scientific literature has yet to produce a study conclusively linking artificial turf fields with PFAS contamination in groundwater. However, sampling data collected by both RIDOH and RIDEM at North Smithfield Junior-Senior High School suggest that the artificial turf field (first constructed in 2007 and upgraded/replaced in 2021) may be partly or wholly contributing to the contamination of nearby private and public drinking water supply wells. In this area, groundwater flows from Well #1 to the artificial turf field and then to Well #2. We call Well #1 “upgradient” and Well #2 “downgradient” based on the groundwater flow and their locations with respect to the artificial turf field. Well #1 is located approximately 1000 feet upgradient of the artificial turf field, so it should not be affected by PFAS from the field. Water from this well has consistently been at or below detection limits (i.e., 2 ng/L or less) for PFAS. Well #2 is located approximately 150 feet downgradient of the artificial turf and exceeds the Rhode Island Drinking Water Quality Standard for PFAS of 20 ng/L. In the most recent sampling (6/12/24), the concentration of PFAS in Well #2 was 61.00 ng/L, which is double the concentration detected in 2019 (30 ng/L). Drinking water is one of the major routes of exposure for PFAS, which have a variety of potential health impacts. The most important of these include suppression of the body’s response to vaccines and disruption of normal liver and kidney function. (11) 

The groundwater quality standard for the sum of regulated PFAS compounds (i.e., PFOS, PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFHxS, and PFHpA) is 20 ng/L for the groundwater in the Burrillville area. The Rhode Island Groundwater Quality Rules (Section 3.14(D)) identify the remedial measures that may be required of facility owners that release a pollutant which results in a violation of the groundwater quality standards. These measures include, but are not limited to, sampling of private wells, installing and monitoring additional wells, providing drinking water to properties that have had their wells impacted, and/or implementing remedial actions to restore groundwater quality. Based on RIDOH’s review, there are private wells supplying about 20 single and multifamily homes within a quarter mile of the proposed location of the artificial turf field. If PFAS is present in the artificial turf and results in PFAS concentrations in groundwater above 20 ng/L, the School District and/or Town may be required to complete the remedial measures noted above. 

Pending Ban of Artificial Turf 

Rhode Island recently passed the Consumer PFAS Ban Act of 2024 (the “Act”), which bans certain uses of PFAS in covered products by January 1, 2029. This Act defines “artificial turf” as “man-made material which simulates the appearance of live turf, organic turf, grass, sod or lawn” and bans the manufacture, sale, or distribution of artificial turn containing intentionally added PFAS on January 1, 2029. It should be noted that, since artificial turf fields require periodic maintenance (e.g., replacement of the turf), any materials necessary for future maintenance will be subject to this Act. 

 The following are more resources that the Town Council may wish to examine before installing the artificial turf field: 

• PFAS Testing in Artificial Turf (UMass Lowell) 
• PFAS in Artificial Turf (Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Institute) 
• Considerations for Municipalities and Institutions (Massachusetts Toxics Use Reduction Institute)

Thank you for reviewing this information. Please reach out with any questions. 

Sincerely, 

Jerome Larkin, MD 

Director Department of Health

Terrence Gray, P.E. 

Director Department of Environmental Management

Burrillville residents speak out against proposed artificial turf field

Burrillville Residents express concern over artificial turf field planned for high school

Blackstone River Watershed Council

BLACKSTONE RIVER WATERSHED COUNCIL 

Friends of the Blackstone 

Town of Burrillville Town Council 

105 Main Street 

Harrisville, RI 02830 

C/O Donald Fox, President of Burrillville Town Council 

August 12, 2024 

Dear Members of the Burrillville Town Council, 

I am writing on behalf of our organization in opposition to the "Artificial Turf Project" for the Burrillville High School Sports Field. We feel the need to express our disapproval as an organization based on artificial turf's negative impacts on the watershed and as a concerned party. As you are aware, the proximity to the Clear River is a tributary to the Branch, which further travels into the Blackstone River and its watershed. The location of the proposed project has a primary runoff location, which is the same as the former and proposed field, the Clear River. The high concentration of PFAS and other chemicals used in the production of Artificial Turf is not just detrimental to the river health, but also the possibility of polluting the public water sources, as well through inhalation for the youth and adults who may be using the space where this will be located. 

I highly recommend you look at the University Of Rhode Island Superfund Research Program called STEEP - Source, Transport, Exposure & Effects of PFAS's. This may help you and the constituents of the Town understand the dangers and the position of thinking of their children and future generations from the dangers that this consideration may have on their future. 

With Regards and in opposition. 

John Marsland 

President

CC: Editor Woonsocket Call, Editor Valley Breeze Burrillville Edition 

PO Box 8068, Cumberland, Rhode Island 02864 | Phone: 401.644.3215 | WWW.BLACKSTONERIVER.ORG