Student Keith Covan-Rodriguez, during the November 23 Livingston Board of Education meeting, cautioned members against approving construction of an artificial turf field behind the high school in an area known as “the pit.”The Livingston High School senior is the second student to approach the Board with concerns about the proposed field.“No topic has had more discussion in my 20-plus years in Livingston,” commented Steven Robinson prior to Covan-Rodriguez’ speaking, “than the lack of athletic fields in Livingston, and how we can make what we have work better and more efficiently.”Robinson, the district’s longtime business administrator, is retiring on December 31.Responding to the comments made by LHS freshman Sofia Calderón during the November 9 meeting, Robinson noted, “We have research about grass versus turf. We have multiple studies that show that turf fields are not hazardous. We have multiple studies that show injuries are less on turf fields than on grass fields.”He reported that 50 percent of NFL fields are turf, as are two thirds of NCAA Division One football fields; that there are 275 high school turf fields in New Jersey, including in Livingston, Millburn, Summit, Westfield, West Orange, and Caldwell; and, overall, 700 turf fields in New Jersey.He also said that the cost-benefit of the yearly maintenance of a turf field compared to a grass field, and the amount of playable time on either one, “is not even close and clearly favors the turf field.”Robinson added, “I just want to have the facts out there from my side before this thing blows up more than it potentially has.”Later in the meeting, he added that current versions of artificial fields are different from what they used to be; that the district uses a “CoolPlay system” to lower temperatures; and that the turf is comprised of materials in addition to rubber pellets such as sand, minerals, and cork.Also, Robinson said, “with grass, you have contaminants because of emissions from mowers, painting of the grass, chemicals and pesticides to maintain grass, and water utilization.”Covan-Rodriguez said that the Board’s job includes advocating for the safety of students, and that artificial turf is not safe.Covan-Rodriguez then presented research about the synthetic materials that make up AstroTurf, including polyester tire cord, nylon, polypropylene, and recycled tires, which can be contaminated with heavy metals, chemicals, and PFAs. Turf field maintenance also involves the use of chemicals.The student expressed concerns about heat, saying that toxins in the ...
