“Forever chemicals” might be lurking again in Westfield, this time behind a proposed synthetic turf field for Westfield High School, a renovation that many in the community say is decades overdue.
City councilors are set to vote Tuesday on whether to approve new athletic fields at Westfield High School, to be funded from a $11.1 million bond from Westfield Gas & Electric. While many are in favor of the proposal, some worry about environmental concerns of adding more PFAS chemicals to Westfield’s waterways.
Dr. Kyla Bennett is the director of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, director of science policy at PEER and has 10 years experience working at the Environmental Protection Agency. She said she has tested dozens of artificial turf fields, and that PFAS-free fields do not exist yet.