Cornell’s new synthetic turf field house has drawn concern from local environmental activists. They warn that turf with potentially harmful chemical substances perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl could cause long-term health and environmental risks.
These “forever chemicals” commonly found in synthetic turf have the potential to cause cancer in humans and do not break down into the environment easily. The environmental effects of these chemicals have prompted activists to push for further reviews of this project.
According to Yayoi Koizumi, founder of Zero Waste Ithaca, a local grassroots environmental advocacy group, there are important broader implications of this project.
“The concerns surrounding this synthetic turf include environmental justice; toxicity for the student-athletes; and the impact of microplastics on air, soil and water,” Koizumi said.
According to Zero Waste Ithaca, the Ithaca City Planning Board approved Cornell’s fieldhouse project with a limited environmental review. The activist group challenged this decision, arguing that the Planning Board did not adequately assess environmental concerns before the approval of the project. The legal challenge will require the Planning Board to justify their review process.
“This is an environmental justice issue — it doesn’t just affect our community in Ithaca. The fossil fuel component also violates Cornell’s sustainability code,” Koizumi said.
The Planning board Decided to continue the site plan with slight alterations, including a promise to use PFAS-free, plant-based infill for turf. In addition, the board approved the purchase of renewable energy credits in an attempt to balance the energy consumption of the project.
Carbon credits enable organizations to “offset” their pollution by paying for projects that reduce emissions elsewhere, but Koizumi added that carbon credit schemes are commonly used by corporations to enhance appearances of sustainability without addressing fundamental environmental issues.
“Having carbon credits is irrelevant in determining if they need to do an impact study,” said Todd Ommen, the managing attorney of Pace Environmental Litigation Clinic. “Whatever credits do or don’t do, they do nothing for the environmental concerns of PFAS and microplastic pollution.”
The Meinig Fieldhouse project team disputed claims of synthetic turf’s environmental harm in a statement to The Sun.
“There is currently little evidence to suggest that the materials or chemicals used in synthetic turf pose a significant health risk to athletes or to stormwater runoff,” the team wrote.
Turfgrass expert Prof. Frank Rossi, plant science, further advocated for turf in the interest of athlete safety.
“In spite of the negatives, if we are truly interested in athletes’ safety, we have to put them on synthetic fields that will be safe for them to play on,” Rossi said.
According to Rossi, natural grass can become unsafe and unusable in certain weather conditions, where synthetic fields offer a consistent and durable surface, providing an accessible environment for athletes.
In its statement to The Sun, the Meinig Fieldhouse project team described environmental costs associated with maintaining a grass lawn.
“Natural grass fields require hundreds of thousands of gallons of water per year. Maintenance of natural grass also produces fossil fuel emissions of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide from activities such as seeding, fertilizing, and mowing,” the team wrote. “Meanwhile, synthetic fertilizers and herbicides used for upkeep release their own greenhouse gasses and leave chemicals in the soil.”
Synthetic turf provides advantages for athlete safety and promotes year-round practices and games, particularly within an indoor facility like the proposed fieldhouse, according to the team.
Ultimately, Rossi highlighted the difficult decision of choosing between natural grass and synthetic turf.
“It’s a battle between the best bad option. Synthetic turf is plagued with the same problem — what do you do when they’re done with it? You’re stuck with this stuff. There is no clear option,” Rossi said.
As the project moves forward, testing for PFAS will be required before the turf is installed. Whether chemical contamination is found will ultimately shape the project’s trajectory.
Gillian White can be reached at [email protected].