PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 28, 2024
On Nov. 5, South Portland voters will decide whether to spend over $12 million to install four artificial turf athletic fields at South Portland High School, which are blankets of plastic laid down over natural vegetation. Over an 8-12-year lifespan, these fields leach microplastics and other chemicals into local waterways, create a significant “heat island” effect (over 150F), increase runoff and erosion, and increase skin abrasions and foot/ankle injuries in players. The fields are not recyclable, although companies fraudulently say that they are. Old turf fields continue to contaminate our environment in landfills. ~ Karen Talentino, South Portland