Artificial Turf: California goes after FieldTurfTarkett

We see now that California leads the nation by enforcing their law, the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986. This law was originally Proposition 65 when it was brought to the ballot by the Citizens of California. Under this law California actually regulates the toxins leached into the water. California has left Maryland and Montgomery County in the dust on this one. Or should I say, in the crumb rubber dust. According to an article in the Los Angeles Times, California Attorney General Jerry Brown brought suit against artificial turf manufacturers including FieldTurfTarkett. Why? Lead. Here is the text from the suit documents, clear as day.

"Defendant's Turf Products contain lead. Persons who purchase, use,

and/or come into contact with thse products are exposed to lead."

Could anything be more simple? More plain? More clear?

The State of California brought suit against three artificial turf manufacturers: Astroturf; Beaulieu Group, and of course our old friend, FieldTurfTarkett.

And not just our friend. FieldTurfTarkett is best buddies with members of the Montgomery County Board of Education, which is charged with managing the multi-billion dollar industry known as the "Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS)" in Maryland, and of course the Montgomery County Council who voted unanimously to approve the installation of FieldTurfTarkett crumb rubber sheeting across the County. Each and every member of the County Council is satisfied that crumb rubber artificial turf is safe. You heard ‘em folks. They couldn’t be more satisfied.

And here is the roll call of those councilmembers in case you forgot:

Council President Phil Andrews; Valerie Ervin; Marc Elrich; Council Vice President Roger Berliner; Mike Knapp; Duchy Trachtenberg; Nancy Floreen; Nancy Navarro; and George Leventhal. Yup, each and every one of these councilmembers voted not once, but TWICE to rip up the natural turf and install crumb rubber sheeting across our county. Some of them, those on the Education Committee, got to vote thrice; that would be Valerie Ervin, Phil Andrews, and Mike Knapp.