During the webinar, Kyla Bennett, director of science policy with the Maryland-based nonprofit Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, said the presence of PFAS is inevitable when it comes to turf fields.
“Nobody is going to be able to provide you a PFAS-free field,” said Bennett, who has a doctorate in ecology as well as a law degree.
Bennett explained that although the industry is moving away from the use of crumb rubber “fill” in turf fields in exchange for other substances, the artificial fields — including the plastic grass blades that constitute the “carpet” of the playing area — usually contain PFAS.