Regarding the Jan. 9 article “South Portland debates natural vs. artificial grass at planned athletic facility,” the School Board and the public should understand that athletic fields are not nature preserves, parks or grassed lawns. Design and construction of athletic fields are akin to a road or highway. They are not “natural” and should never be described as natural. Athletic fields are engineered systems that require significant resources (mowing, watering, fertilizer and maintenance) to maximize their use and longevity, usually under a constrained budget.

The presentation from Portland’s nonprofit Defend Our Health was not applicable to the turf/infill products proposed in South Portland. The group received information for turf products that are dated and ultimately are not the turf products South Portland wants. Any presentation regarding future health risks about turf should be backed by studies of the specific products proposed for the city.

Opponents spoke about microplastics. Microplastics are an emerging contaminant and most studies focus on drinking water originating from surface water sources. This is not applicable to the proposed turf; Sebago Lake is the source of South Portland’s drinking water. Many fertilizers are also coated with plastics for a slow release of nutrients; this results in many grassed, athletic fields containing microplastics.

The School Board should speak with Bonny Eagle’s board about the contamination it discovered in the drinking water supply for its middle and high schools. Specifically, their drinking water supply wells were contaminated with PFAS that originated from their grassed athletic fields, further supporting the narrative that athletic fields are not natural systems.

Aaron Martin
South Portland