Sponsored by:
Senator RAJ MUKHERJI
District 32 (Hudson)
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits municipalities, school districts, and State departments and agencies from purchasing, installing, or using artificial turf.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act prohibiting the use of artificial turf and supplementing Title 40A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Legislature finds and declares that:
a. Synthetic turf infill is made of small, rubberized pellets typically made from used tires which contain a myriad of chemicals known to be harmful to humans, including carcinogens, neurotoxicants, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
b. A regular sized synthetic turf field contains 500,000 pounds of plastic, which breaks down into microplastics and nanoplastics that are subsequently incorporated in runoff that flows into streams during heavy rains, causing environmental contamination, harm to aquatic life, and a disruption of the States delicate ecosystem.
c. Recent studies suggest that exposure to microplastics and nanoplastics can cause negative health effects in humans, including, but not limited to, oxidative stress, inflammation, immune dysfunction, altered biochemical and energy metabolism, impaired cell proliferation, disrupted microbial metabolic pathways, abnormal organ development, and carcinogenicity.
d. To date, all studies of installed synthetic turf have found the presence of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), nicknamed forever chemicals because they accumulate, rather than break down, over time, and build up in the human body.
e. Recent studies suggest that exposure to PFAS, and the resulting accumulation of PFAS in the human body, may be linked to many health issues, including, but not limited to, decreased fertility in women, developmental delays in children, increased risk of certain cancers, reduced immune system response, thyroid disease, and kidney and liver damage.
f. When exposed to direct sunlight, a synthetic turf fields surface temperature can reach up to 72 degrees hotter than natural grass, increasing the surrounding air temperature and placing athletes at risk of dehydration, heat stress, burns, and heatstroke. In addition, the rough surface of synthetic turf can cause abrasions, known as turf burn.
g. Natural grass is free of the health and environmental hazards associated with synthetic turf, and organic maintenance practices, including frequent aeration and mowing, soil testing, and use of organic fertilizers, can further mitigate environmental and health risks by eliminating the need for toxic pesticides.
h. While synthetic turf is often touted as cost-effective, low-maintenance, and water-saving, the environmental, health, and safety risks greatly outweigh the intended benefits, and municipalities, school districts, or State departments or agencies should instead invest in safe, non-toxic, natural grass playing fields.
2. No municipality, school district, or State department or agency, shall enter into a contract for the purchase, use, or installation of artificial turf for a new or existing field. Artificial turf fields that have been already installed may remain in use, but shall not be replaced with artificial turf.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would prohibit the purchase, installation, or use of artificial turf by a municipality, school district, or State department or agency for a new or existing field. This bill permits the continued use of artificial turf fields that have been already installed. Synthetic turf contains a myriad of chemicals known to be harmful to humans, including carcinogens, neurotoxicants, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, as well as microplastics, nanoplastics, and perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Natural grass is free of the health and environmental hazards associated with synthetic turf. While synthetic turf is often touted as cost-effective, low-maintenance, and water-saving, the environmental, health, and safety risks greatly outweigh the intended benefits.