An article at The Guardian offers more context, and points to an all-too-familiar potential culprit: toxic PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.” The artificial turf used at Veterans Stadium contained forever chemicals — though it seems unlikely that scientists will be able to make a direct connection between the artificial turf and the subsequent cancer diagnoses.
Still, something seems suspicious here. “There is a high number of Philadelphia Phillies diagnosed with this rare cancer and it looks weird, so that should be a red flag,” Kyla Bennett of the organization Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility told The Guardian.
