EAST BRUNSWICK – The two new soccer fields at Heavenly Farms will undergo lead testing to make sure the surfaces do not pose health concerns.
Councilman David Stahl, who spearheaded the effort to build the fields, said they feature a state-of-the-art turf surface that has never been shown to present any type of health problem. However, recent events convinced him that tests should be done to make sure they are safe.
Tests performed over the past year by state and federal health officials, first in Newark’s Ironbound section and later elsewhere in the state, revealed high levels of lead in the fibers of some synthetic turf fields. The concern is that, as the turf fibers degrade over time, they can release a dust containing lead. If a child touches the dust, it could then be transferred to the mouth.
Turf fields in New Jersey where lead was found have been shut down. Stahl noted that the fields in question were many years older than those at Heavenly Farms and used a nylon material. The fields at Heavenly Farms, built two years ago, use polyethylene fibers, he said. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said there is no reason to think that polyethylene fields would have high levels of lead, and has not required testing.
However, Stahl said he still wants to get the fields tested, and that the work should not cost more than a few thousand dollars.
“We should test them anyway so we can let residents know the fields are safe,” he said
Stahl said there have been no cases in the U.S. of people having higher levels of lead in their blood due to the polyethylene fibers.
“I am proposing, notwithstanding the CDC claim, the safety of our public is foremost,” he said during a recent Township Council meeting. “I would ask the administration to work with the engineers to test those fields to confirm there are no unacceptable levels of lead at the two fields at Heavenly Farms.”
Although there were initially some concerns about injuries occurring due to the turf, Stahl said the fields have worked out fine and receive almost constant use.
“Anyone and anybody uses them,” he said. They are used for various sports, and even as a track for people who have injuries. The fields’ softer surface makes them more forgiving, Stahl said.
“They’ve worked out phenomenally,” he said.