Just a couple of weeks ago, USA Today had published this concerning article, Feds promote artificial turf as safe despite health concerns.
"We're using your children as part of the poison squad," said Bruce Lanphear, a leading researcher on lead poisoning at Simon Fraser University in Canada, who suggests a moratorium on installing artificial-turf fields until their safety is proved.
The health threat is substantial enough that the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists artificial turf as one of seven sources of children's lead exposure along with well-known items such as paint, water and toys.
37 comments:
So, the idiots are going to resume construction today, huh. We were told that construction would not resume until there were several consecutive days of weather temperatures at or above 50 degrees and no rain - conditions which have not occurred nor will they appear forecast to occur over the next four to five days !
Reaching 50 degrees for a mere two hours/day for a couple of days with remaining hours in the 30's, even 40's, does not meet the criteria, nor does rain only a few hours/day. But, this is what the "short cutters" are apparently going by, obviously under pressure from the SAB, Donnellan & Gateway.
10:05, please stop with the misinformation. At some point the contractor needs to remobilize and that is not weather dependent. If you were going to paint your house, would you expect the painters to remove the scaffolding because it was going to rain for a few days. At some point they need to return to the site and do the work that they can under the circumstance. Only certain aspects of the installation require consecutive days of warm/dry weather, but we are not there yet. There are no short cuts being taken. If you would like to attack turf, take a page for the out of town anti-cull folks and picket any of the existing turf fields in surrounding communities. I'm sure the commissioners of USC and Peters would welcome your comments at their next meeting.
Dave Franklin
Another LeboAlert
Elaine
This is an important notice from LeboALERT.
The Mt. Lebanon Sports Advisory
Board meeting scheduled for April 2, 2015 is canceled. For the complete meeting schedule please view our website.
Out of town anti-cull folks picketing, Dave? I know you want me to move out of Mt. Lebanon, but I'm still here, Buddy.
Elaine
Nice Mr. Franklin, once again you've addressed an anonymous commenters after saying you learned your lesson and wouldn't engage with people you refer to as "gutless."
Can we ever take you at your word?
How many game slots are we in the hole so far, Dave, due to loss of this field so far this year?
Yeah, I know this is a short term inconvenience for a long term gain. Just wondering when the gain starts.
Hey Dave,
Explain the fact by witness observation that Vasco did not tamp the limestone gravel fill in the 8 foot trenches even though the contract specifications (written by Gateway) called for tamping every 6 inches ? Vasco merely drove a tracked vehicle over the filled trenches once claiming that was sufficient.
Move? No way. I'd love for you to be a commissioner. If you can do the job with the level of responsiveness and perfection that you demand from others, how can we fail. I'd love to send emails at midnight and ask how many deer we have and then critique you online for not having a definitive answer for us by 9 AM. I'd love to join you at every meeting you have with a constituent or a contractor because we can never allow those things to happen in a transparent Lebo without other residents being present. Where do you stand on PAYT?
Dave Franklin
I hate to tell you this, Franklin, but Mt Lebanon is not in the same ball park USC and Peters. At the very least, you don't live there.
Mr Franklin - You might need to add binoculars to your stalking gear, though. What if you can't see Elaine from a bench across the street?
Dave, try to stay on topic.
I'm against PAYT.
Elaine
Never, ever, answer a direct question eh Dave.
You were asked how many game slots have we lost so far this year.
Yaah, I know this a project that will supposedily benefit us (and cost us, I would add) for years and years.
The question still remains, the field has not been available since last fall, so how many days could some sport been using the old grass field?
Interesting how you switched topics Mr. F.! I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunity to debate PAYT, why don't you hold your question on that topic when it's made available.
I'm sure Elaine will oblige your request to make PAYT the subject of a post some time soon so that you may engage in calling people names and telling us all how you don't converse with anonymous people.
Dave, I'd hurry up and email Commissioner Bendel with a copy of your comment to show him you're doing your part to put an end to the divineness in the community.
12:58, If Lebo is not on par with USC and Peters, why are you here? This isn't someone saying don't criticize, but seriously asking why - if you think literally the neighborhood next door is in a different and, presumably, better "ballpark" - you would choose to slum it in Mt. Lebanon. I have co-workers looking for a four bedroom in our AA town if you're not just being hyperbolic.
You folks argue in circles. I'm staying. Building fields while I'm here. Mellon can't start soon enough.
As for game slots, given the weather and the fact that baseball registration for the youngest age groups ends today, I'd venture a guess that we haven't lost too many game slots on Cedar. Historically, we don't even start scheduling baseball practices until early April and games don't start until the end of the month. Most of us live close to an elementary school grass field and can confirm that's those have gone unused until this week as well when the weather sort of broke. Meanwhile, the HS turf has been cranking full steam 7 days a week since the snow melted.
Have a great weekend.
Dave Franklin
Anyone care to comment on the USA Today article, where turf is now listed as one of the seven sources of children's lead exposure? See how crafty Dave Franklin is? He is trying to divert our attention again.
Elaine
Frankly, Mr. Franklin, I'm sorry that we DIDN'T have out-of-towners join the protests that occurred regarding these toxic fields. We're not only putting our OWN kids at risk; we're also jeopardizing the future health of the out-of-towners' kids who play here. (Or maybe that didn't occur to you.) The impact of toxins on growing children is far worse than that on adults, but that doesn't seem to matter in this fine, dare I say EXCEPTIONAL community.
When we had a toxicologist who resides in Mt. L testify before the Commissioners about his serious concerns as a scientist about the toxic turf project, he was dismissed out-of-hand as being biased BECAUSE HE LIVES IN OUR TOWN! When biologists and veterinarians have attempted to provide scientifically-sound information concerning the issue of deer population management, the same Commissioners have refused to hear from then BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIVE IN OUR TOWN!
Either Schizophrenia is rampant in our Commission, or there is something else driving the decisions being made having absolutely nothing to do with facts.
SO...YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO EXCUSE US IF WE CAN'T FIND ANY EVIDENCE THAT THERE HAS EVER BEEN AN HONEST SEARCH FOR TRUTH, HERE.
And I'm not afraid to sign my name, Mr. Franklin, whomever you are!
Mr. Franklin, every game slot that goes unused is lost revenue. According to the preliminary field schedule we have lost quite a bit of revenue already. Will Gateway Engineers reimburse us as it was their fault for not having the required permits in on time that caused the delay?
Nick M.
Nick, at the last super secret turf meeting we decided that we could sell the deer crossing signs currently in storage in order to cover the difference.
Elaine, the other sources of lead are toys, toy jewelry, candy, water, sindoor and folk medicine. I have no idea about the last two, but sholud we also boycott the candy store on Washington Rd or Toys R Us? What should we do about Easter candy? Should we ask that the water fountains at the schools, Rec Center and Tennis Center be tested?
Also, the EPA has established an acceptable limit for lead in soil. It's 400ppm. Have you demanded that our parks and school fields be tested? I would add that the NYC Parks Dept did recently test all 113 of the turf fields within its borders and 112 were found to be below that standard. Still further, 96% of the fields were found to contain less than 100ppm, well below the acceptable level for dirt. Yes, that's right, less lead than dirt.
Anything else?
Dave Franklin
Mr. Franklin, you seem to want to avoid the Gateway Engineers issue and the fact that the taxpayers got stuck with what amounted to an $86,000 change order in addition to the fact that Vasco might not even be doing the work if the NPDES permit was granted prior to the bidding process because that amount could have been the difference between Palombo being granted the contract instead of Vasco because the difference between the bids was only $15,800, so you see Mr. Franklin that one change order really screwed many people. And what about about all the additional time and labor that Gateway billed the taxpayers for add alternatives that we will never incorporate? Is it any wonder that the turf task force meetings were kept a secret? It's obvious Mr. Franklin you don't care how taxpayer money is spent, or in this case, wasted.
Nick M.
Yes, Dave, there is. There is no safe level for lead. I have had to return toys because of recalls for lead paint. It isn't in all toys or candy, Dave. You know this.
Can you stop being a jerk for a couple of minutes? Nick M. was asking you a good question about Gateway.
Elaine
So Dave F, you are telling readers to dismiss the advice of the Yale educated PhD toxicologist who noted that children warrant special protection from the toxics off gassing from symthetic crumb rubber turf and instead we should listen to you, the field builder? On what grounds are you qualified to compete in this arena?
According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission, children's products (with some exceptions like bikes, etc) manufactured after August 14, 2011, may not contain more than 100 pp of total lead content in accessible parts. I assume that is what they have deemed to be a "safe level of lead." 96% of the turf fields in NYC meet that standard.
Should we charge Gateway for missed slots. No. That's just stupid. Perhaps we shoukd sue Mother Nature for the missed greens fees at the golf course. We could use that revenue too.
Elaine, every time you get mad at me, I conclude I must be doing something right.
Dave Franklin
Hey Dave....you're dodging the question on the absence of required tamping of the limestone gravel trench fill for the artificial turf at Wildcat. You're very good at dodging the issues and changing the subject. You can be looking forward to serious depressions in your turf in a year or so because of the short cutting. Where was Gateway (who wrote the contract spec's), where was the muni Inspection Dept. ?
Mr. Franklin, you wrote: "Historically, we don't even start scheduling baseball practices until early April and games don't start until the end of the month."
Excuse me if I'm wrong wasn't extending the field availability well into November or December and starting in February one of the primary reasons for putting in artificial turf?
Now you're here telling us we haven't lost too many game slots because no one would be using the fields anyway.
You really are weird Dave!
You won't communicate with gutless people, but now you are.
We put in turf for more games slots in the winter months but now you say practices would only be normally starting now.
Are you schizophrenic, Dave?
""If you're exposing children to some potentially harmful compounds, whether it's organic compounds or metals, you'd think you'd want to know so you can take some action instead of putting your hands over your eyes and saying, 'I don't see a problem,' " Shalat said."
EXACTLY WHAT YOU AND THE THE COMMISSION ARE DOING. COVERING YOUR EYES AND SAYING I DON'T SEE A PROBLEM!
Just saying...
http://www.post-gazette.com/life/my-generation/2015/04/02/My-Generation-sports-1/stories/201504020006
Please read the report Mr. Franklin, Mr. Brumfeld, ENTIRE SAB and residents. Please get over yourselves. Helicopter parents and obsession with sports in general, is a scourge to this community
$1.2 million dollars (and climbing)for turf for children? In addition the turf needs $80K/year in maintenance?
You must be living in another dimension
Any chance we can take a step back and re-align the communities priorities?
Roger V. DeLonga
I agree with 7:25, the residents were sold a bill of goods by John Bendel, 60% more game slots, yee-haw!! What John Bendel left out was that to make that 60% realistic the lacrosse and soccer kids would be trotting around in 3 inches of snow with high temperatures of 10 degrees. By the way, is the high school responsible for plowing the snow off the turf? If I remember correctly, didn't John Bendel walk those numbers back at a recent commission meeting?
Weren't we sold a bill of goods on the deer management program too? I'm beginning to see a disturbing pattern here.
Nick M.
Nick, we were sold a bill of goods on the cost of the high school renovation and the Capital Fund Raising Campaign.
Which by the way one more hired expert bit the dust, Pursuant Ketchum is no longer involved in the fundraiser.
Mr. Franklin you write: "You folks argue in circles. I'm staying. Building fields while I'm here. Mellon can't start soon enough."
Here's a suggestion for you and your group of sports spendthrifts.
There is a beautiful indoor sports facility being built just outside Mt. Lebanon. It will have artificial turf, lights and it'll all be indoors so your small athletes can play winter or summer, night or day, rain or shine. The best feature is that taxpayers don't have to pony up a million dollars to use it.
There's even a pub for those parents that can't attend their kids sporting events without an alcoholic beverage of some kind.
You and your SAB buddies couldn't ask for a more perfect facility, but I suspect the problem is that the money to use it comes out of your pockets rather the the taxpayers. That and you folks don't get to run and manage the show.
Let the school district maintain Mellon just as it is. Kids have been using for it for decades with great success. Also, the district is so poor (apparently) that they're rattling tin cups for donations on a regular basis.
Mr. Franklin, before you go covering any more fields with plastic turf so you can conduct some more organized sports games you might want to solicit the opinion of a Mt. Lebanon mom.
"At this age, kids are still learning through movement, and some of them don’t even know how to skip or gallop! Our kids learn to move.” Our community also has more than 200 acres of park land, five ball fields and eight basketball courts, and the key, according to Tashman, Roycroft Avenue, is how children pick and choose their activities."
“Kids are over-programmed, and there’s not enough time for free play. Organized sports are good, but our kids are specializing too soon—any sport five nights a week is not good for kids 12 and under.” Instead, says Tashman, children should cross-train, so they use their muscles in different ways and don’t get injured. It can be as simple as working in “functional fitness” activities such as mowing the lawn, taking out the leaves and trash or shoveling snow""
http://lebomag.com/9844/healthy-kidshealthy-community/
What witty name will you come up with for Tashman and her comments that appeared on Lebomag?
It appears attention to detail isn't Mr. Franklin's strong suit.
http://www.peer.org/news/news-releases/2013/12/23/epa-retracts-synthetic-turf-safety-assurances/
Also, the CPSC "study" looked at turf fibers, not the crumb rubber infill. That's like doing a cursory check of someone's teeth and declaring the person 100 percent healthy.
Don't let evidence get in the way of your "truth", right Dave!
What a natural, sustainable solution to heavily used grass fields looks like:
http://nationalmall.org/building/restore-improve/progress/completed-projects/turf-restoration-phase-i
The turf builders are like a rogue fraternity chapter. They know how to break all the rules, enjoy it, have ways of hiding it, and know how to get out of trouble even when the heat is on.
Mr. Franklin no quick repartee regarding Tashman's comments that appeared on Lebomag? You're always so quick with retorts and new topics!
(see the comment at 11:31)
Baseball is struggling to hook kids — and risks losing fans to other sports - The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/baseballs-trouble-with-the-youth-curve--and-what-that-means-for-the-game/2015/04/05/2da36dca-d7e8-11e4-8103-fa84725dbf9d_story.html?tid=HP_more?tid=HP_more
Crumb rubber business locally is in trouble.
Yet, we are supposed to trust that the rubber is anything but dangerous.
http://www.post-gazette.com/business/pittsburgh-company-news/2015/04/07/Liberty-Tire-Recycling/stories/201504070190
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