February 20, 2025
To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing on behalf of the National Center for Health Research to thank DGS for being committed to maintaining a natural grass field at Lafayette Elementary.
As a nonprofit public health research center, we have written extensively about the health dangers of artificial turf compared to natural grass. In the last few years, scientists have learned more about exposure to microplastics from the plastic grass. Playing on the grass wears down the plastic, and tiny particles are released into the air that children and adults breathe, getting into their hearts, brains, and other organs. PFAS and other chemicals are also inhaled. PFAS are of particular concern because they enter the body and the environment as “forever chemicals,” which means that they are not metabolized and do not deteriorate, accumulating over the years. In addition, limb injuries and concussions are more common on artificial turf. To learn more about these risks, you can read our article here.
Maintaining the natural grass field and adding it to the roster of fields that will receive maintenance is important for the health of the children who go to school there and the community. It is also important to begin this maintenance as soon as possible so that work, like aerating and reseeding the field, can be done in time for the field to be playable in the Spring.
Thank you for your commitment to maintaining the natural grass field at Lafayette Elementary. We hope that DGS will continue to make choices that prioritize the health and safety of our community members.
Sincerely,
Diana Zuckerman, Ph.D.
President
National Center for Health Research