Parents wage turf war over Sag Harbor synthetic field

Some parents are petitioning to make sure that artificial turf isn't installed at a Sag Harbor school. A bond that passed years ago includes funding to renovate the grass field at Pierson Middle School,

News 12 Staff

Mar 11, 2016, 3:42 AM

Updated 3,103 days ago

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Some parents are petitioning to make sure that artificial turf isn't installed at a Sag Harbor school.
A bond that passed years ago includes funding to renovate the grass field at Pierson Middle School, but parents are raising health concerns about artificial crumb-rubber fields.
In the wake of cases of cancer and other ailments, the federal government recently said it would study crumb-rubber filler.
Local parents want the school district to reconsider because they say the fields are made with recycled tires, which often contain many chemicals.
Manufacturers insist that the fields are safe.
The Sag Harbor School District tells News 12 that the field project is still in the bidding process, but added, "as with all decisions, we will continue to keep the safety of our students and staff a priority."
The EPA says it plans to release the preliminary findings of its research on artificial turfs at the end of the year.