Havens Playfield – Toxic Tires or Crushed Cork and Coconut?

Dear Friends,

I, and many others in our community, are very concerned that the infill of the new Havens Playfield not be made of crumb rubber from ground-up waste tires.  Please take a moment to complete this very brief (4-question) survey about the new Havens Playfield surface, which includes the opportunity to sign an on-line petition against crumb rubber infill.  To access the survey/petition, just click on this link:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=zKGtLe1lY53hMvHC77vaWg_3d_3d

The School Board is holding a Special Meeting next Tuesday (Nov 17 from 4-6 p.m. at City Council chambers) to make a decision on this issue.  We encourage as many people as possible to attend this meeting, but, recognizing that not everyone will be available, we ask you to please either write the Board and/or complete this survey/petition.  Please do this a.s.a.p., as there isn’t much time!  And please forward this on to friends and acquaintances.

The Board Packet for this meeting is now available on the PUSD website.(http://www.piedmont.k12.ca.us/board-of-education/meeting-materials ).   In these materials, you will note that the estimated cost for a grass field at this site is very high due to the need to install a new water meter and for soil removal.  For that reason, many of us who had previously supported a grass field are now in favor of the organic (cork/coconut husk) infill.  Because this infill contains no toxic chemicals, we feel that this is the safest, most environmentally- friendly alternative.  And since very little is known about environmental/ health issues associated with the other two infill alternatives (TPE and Flexsand), we are not favoring these.  For more information about the health and environmental concerns that have been raised about crumb rubber, a Resource List is attached.

Problems with crumb rubber:

In a nutshell: The health and environmental effects of long-term, repeated exposure to crumb rubber are unknown.  Until more studies are completed, we should take a precautionary approach and use a safer infill.

• TOXICITY: Crumb rubber from waste tires contains toxic chemicals and heavy metals with documented links to harmful health effects.  These include toluene (developmental toxicant), benzene (carcinogen, developmental and reproductive toxicant), styrene (neurotoxic) , butadiene (carcinogen) , butylated hydroxyanisole (carcinogen) .  Tire rubber contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phthalates, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), as well as zinc, lead, cadmium and other metals.
• INHALATION, INGESTION: There is potential for all of these toxins to be inhaled, absorbed through the skin, and even swallowed by children who play on these fields.
• MIGRATION: Rubber pellets can be tracked into the classroom, car and home, where exposure continues.
• RUN-OFF: A number of the chemicals in crumb rubber are soluble in water and might leach from the fields to contaminate ground water and soil.
• HEAT: These fields can get very hot when temperatures are high, posing a risk of heat stress or heat stroke.  Manufacturers readily admit that a synthetic field can run 10-30 degrees F hotter than a grass field.  Synthetic fields contribute to the “urban heat island”effect.
• DISPOSAL: Synthetic fields wear out and must be replaced every 8-10 years.  How to dispose of the crumb rubber is especially a problem, because it contains toxins and carcinogens.

Positives about the cork and coconut husk infill:

• Organic infill made from crushed cork and coconut husks has NO toxic chemicals in it (all organic materials)
• It does not retain heat the way crumb rubber does.
• At the end of the lifecycle, the organic infill can be recycled (as mulch and other uses).
• Geoturf (its manufacturer) is the only manufacturer endorsed by the National Green Energy Council
• Recommended by FIFA (European soccer federation)

School Board Meeting – Measure E Topics

The PUSD board is meeting Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 7:00 pm in the City Hall Council Chambers

Topics include Measure E. For more information, see http://www.piedmont.k12.ca.us/board-of-education/meeting-materials

It’s Cool to Walk to School!

Reminder: On October 7th, schools around the world will celebrate:

International Walk to School Day.

Whether your school is celebrating it or not, the day provides a great opportunity to “find another way to school”. Whether walking, biking, on the bus, or carpooling, the trip gives you the chance to have a conversation with kids about transportation options, safety, the environment… or maybe you’ll just enjoy the extra bonding time.

For more information on Walk to School Day, contact Nora Cody – Director of Alameda County’s Safe Routes to Schools program – at SR2S@transformca.org or call (510) 740-3150.

Green Forum on Synthetic Turf – Thur Sept 24th 7:00pm, PMS Mutlipurpose Room

As many of you know, the School Board is reconsidering what the surface for the playfield at the new Havens School should be.  The plan had been (and currently still is) for a synthetic turf field, but, in light of concerns about the health and environmental safety of the crumb rubber infill in most synthetic turf, as well as neighbors’ concerns about use issues, the School Board is considering the possibility of changing the surface to something else (grass or an infill alternative).

We know this is an issue many of you care about and want to learn more about. This Thursday, Sept  24, 7:00-8:30 p.m., the “Green Forum on Synthetic Turf,” sponsored by the PUSD Green Committee, at the Piedmont Middle School Multipurpose Room (740 Magnolia Ave) provides the opportunity to do so.  The district is hiring a facilitator for this, and there will be breakout groups so we’ll all have the opportunity to engage in discussion and learn more about this very important issue.

At a later date this fall, the School Board will hold a full hearing on the field surface issues for the Havens Playfield and the decision will be made by December when the “change order’ would have to get in to Webcor (the builder).  Now is the time to understand the issue.  Please come to the meeting so you can learn as well as voice your opinion.

The Havens and Beach Green Committees believe this is an important issue from an environmental perspective, involving big questions about whether or not the precautionary principle should apply.  Other school districts and cities across the country are debating these same issues, and some – most prominently, New York City and the Los Angeles Unified School District – have decided to stop installing more fields with crumb rubber infill.

Independent scientists are urging thorough evaluations before more synthetic fields with recycled tire crumb are installed.  For example, the editors of The Journal of Exposure Science and Epidemiology (from the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute of the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School ) argue that:

At the present time, we believe that the million dollar + expense to produce and install a synthetic field by communities and athletic facilities demands a much more thorough understanding of the environmental impacts, human exposure and health risk implications associated with all synthetic turf products available on the market.  This calls for a comprehensive evaluation of artificial turf by exposure scientists, and others in environmental science and environmental health sciences.

For your edification, below are a few of the health and environmental issues associated with rubber infill playing fields. We’re also attaching a letter Margaret sent to the School Board earlier this year.  It describes the issues and contains many links to independent studies.  If you only have time to read something shorter, there are links to some informational flyers on the issue at the very end of this message.

Sincerely,

Jill Lindenbaum
Heather Clapp
Havens Green Committee

Margaret Ovenden
Beach Green Committee

======================================

What are the health and environmental issues?

TOXICITY: Crumb rubber from waste tires contains toxic chemicals and heavy metals with documented links to harmful health effects.  These include toluene (developmental toxicant), benzene (carcinogen, developmental and reproductive toxicant), styrene (neurotoxic), butadiene (carcinogen), butylated hydroxyanisole (carcinogen).  Tire rubber contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phthalates, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), as well as zinc, lead, cadmium and other metals.

INHALATION, INGESTION: There is potential for all of these toxins to be inhaled, absorbed through the skin, and even swallowed by children who play on these fields.

MIGRATION: Rubber pellets can be tracked into the classroom, car and home, where exposure continues.

RUN-OFF: A number of the chemicals in crumb rubber are soluble in water and might leach from the fields to contaminate ground water and soil.

HEAT: These fields can get very hot when temperatures are high, posing a risk of heat stress or heat stroke.  Manufacturers readily admit that a synthetic field can run 10-30 degrees F hotter than a grass field.  Synthetic fields contribute to the “urban heat island”effect.

INFECTION: Abrasion injuries (“rug burn”) that occur on synthetic turf create “pathways” for bacterial infections, including MRSA.  Properly maintained synthetic fields require regular disinfection.

INJURIES: Synthetic turf may cause more sports injuries (e.g. “turf toe”) than grass.  The jury is out on this.  Professional sports players prefer grass.

DISPOSAL: Synthetic fields wear out and must be replaced every 8-15 years.  How to dispose of the crumb rubber is especially a problem, because it contains toxins and carcinogens.

Better alternatives:

NATURAL GRASS

-          PUSD successfully maintains Witter Baseball and Softball fields as natural grass fields with very little pesticide and herbicide use (and plans to use even less of these in the future).

-          Grass helps decrease CO2, provides a habitat for many living organisms, and cools the surrounding area.

-          Newer varieties of grass exist which require less water and mowing.

-          Soils in grass fields contain bacteria which decompose body fluids, algae and animal and bird droppings.

SYNTHETIC TURF WITH ORGANIC INFILL

-          Organic infill made from crushed cork and coconut husks does not have the issues with chemicals that crumb rubber infill has.

-          Does not retain heat the way crumb rubber does; may have a cooling effect.

-          At the end of the lifecycle, the organic infill can be recycled.

What you can do:

ATTEND the September 24 “Green Forum on Synthetic Turf” sponsored by the PUSD Green Initiative (7:00-8:30 p.m., Piedmont Middle School Multipurpose Room, 740 Magnolia Ave) to gain a better understanding of what are the health and environmental issues that need to be considered in making a choice between synthetic turf and grass.

WRITE the Board of Education expressing your opinion.  Attend any Board meetings on the issue.  (Sometime before December, the Board will make a decision.) School Board e-mails: rgadbois@piedmont.k12.ca.us, rtolles@piedmont.k12.ca.us, jmonach@piedmont.k12.ca.us, mjones@piedmont.k12.ca.us, rraushenbush@piedmont.k12.ca.us

DISCUSS this issue with your friends, teammates, others you think would be concerned.

READ UP ON THE ISSUE: Some places to start:

SHORT FLYER: What to Know About Turf Fields? From Mount Sinai Children’s Environmental Health Center .

http://www.mountsinai.org/img/vgn_lnk/Regular%20Content/File/Patient%20Care/Children/turf_fact_sheet.pdf

SHORT FLYER: Common Exposures: Synthetic Turf.  From Grassroots Environmental Education.  http://www.grassrootsinfo.org/syntheticturf.html

SHORT FLYER: “Grass playing fields vs. synthetic turf: How will your district decide?” New Jersey Education Association http://www.njea.org/pdfs/HS_GrassTurf_May08.pdf

“Synthetic Turf: Health Debate Takes Root,” March 2008 Environmental Health Perspectives, published by the National Institute of Environmental Health  Sciences http://www.ehponline.org/members/2008/116-3/EHP116pa116PDF.PDF

“Artificial Turf: Exposures to Ground-Up Rubber Tires,” 2007 Environment and Human Health, Inc., www.ehhi.org/reports/turf/

International Walk to School Day

On October 7th, schools around the world will celebrate International Walk to School Day. Whether your school is celebrating it or not, the day provides a great opportunity to “find another way to school”. Whether walking, biking, on the bus, or carpooling, the trip gives you the chance to have a conversation with kids about transportation options, safety, the environment… or maybe you’ll just enjoy the extra bonding time.

For more information on Walk to School Day, contact Nora Cody – Director of Alameda County’s Safe Routes to Schools program – at SR2S@transformca.org or call (510) 740-3150.

What’s Going On?

Piedmont City Council: More Blair Park.

Monday, Sept 21st, 7:30pm City Council Chambers, 120 Vista Avenue

Info, email addresses, agenda: http://www.ci.piedmont.ca.us/citycouncil/

Please join me in supporting the EIR process. The vote is only to continue with the EIR, not to approve Blair Park. I think it’s important to hear the real issues that an EIR will expose, rather than speculation from both sides of the issue.

Please also join me in urging the city to put a mid-block cross walk at the tennis courts, connecting Linda Beach Field and the Linda dog run. This area sees very high foot traffic from the dog run, playfield, tennis courts, tot lot and Beach Elementary going back and forth. This should have been done 3 or 4 years ago when both Beach field and the dog run were updated. Now is the time to fix the issue.

Linda Beach field is used by our children for soccer, baseball, lacrosse, tee ball, and softball. Primary groups are 5-9 year olds. There is a tot lot there, plus an elementary school. The block is extremely long and beckons for a med-block crossing. The area at the tennis courts/top of Linda Beach Field is about right to facilitate safer crossings for all facilities. The sightlines are good and the cost would be minimal.

PUSD School Board

Wednesday, September 23rd, City Council Chambers, 120 Vista Avenue

Info and agenda: http://www.piedmont.k12.ca.us/board-of-education/meeting-materials

Measure E: Not much updating

Last update to the site was July 24th (as of this post).

Info: http://www.pusdbond.org/updates

My question from a previous post still isn’t answered. If PG&E made a mistake on the gas line under the Havens Schoolmates building, are they paying for the relocation to the Beach Playground? Accountability and communication seem to be lacking, yet again, in the Measure E process.

Whats better than dad cooking pancakes Sunday morning?

How about pancakes and PAINTS Chalk for Peace?

The 4th annual Beach Dads Pancake Breakfast is this Sunday, Sept 20th at Beach Elementary. The Beach Dads Club has some extra help this year from the Havens “Grill Gurus”. Come for the pancakes, stay for the chalk.

Sunday, September 20th 9:00-12:00
Beach Elementary School
Kids $4, Adults $6

It’s Sunday morning and Dad is making pancakes. Don’t miss it!

Portable Problems

I received this letter from PUSD superintendent Hubbard a couple of weeks ago, but didn’t write anything about it. I was too mad. The Piedmonter and the Post have covered the issue if you’d like more detail.

The short version: The school district has, yet again, made a Measure E related planning blunder, this one costing thousands of dollars to fix. I love adages, proverbs, saws, and maxims and “measure twice, cut once” is the one that comes to mind in this situation. Too bad the Measure E project managers don’t know that one.

As you read the letter below, keep in mind these points:

• Who made the mistake on the gas line “abandonment”? Why was this not verified before the portable was moved and installed?
• Who is paying to put an additional portable on the Beach blacktop because of this mistake?
• Is the entity who made the error paying the costs? If not, why not?

Given that the replacement portable is already in place and all the traffic is now going to stop at the top, rather than the bottom of the hill, it seems now is the right time to put in a mid-block stop sign and cross walk. It’s overdue. The play field and the dog park both would benefit and it would slow traffic to the posted 25 mile an hour speed limit.

–L

Here is superintendent Hubbard’s letter from August 7, 2009.

—————————–

Dear Beach and Havens Families,

We are writing to provide an update on the plans to relocate Havens SchoolMates, and to provide assurance that the School District and City are working together to ensure that  SchoolMates for Havens and Beach students is in a safe and appropriate location and ready to operate its program starting August 26, the first day of the school year; and there will opportunity for parents, staff and neighbors to get information and provide input concerning the location options to accommodate all of the children in the SchoolMates program.

As you may know, the Havens SchoolMates building was scheduled to be relocated for the next two years to the far end of the Linda Beach Playfield, next to the Oakland Avenue bridge. The building will be used first by Havens SchoolMates, then Wildwood SchoolMates, during the time that the Havens and Wildwood Schools are relocated to Emeryville (the following year, when the Beach School is relocated to Emeryville, the Beach SchoolMates program will either relocate with or close to the Beach kindergarten classes). However, the School District confirmed that a 12″ high-pressure gas line below the site, previously identified as “abandoned” by PG&E, is in fact “active” and therefore makes the site unsuitable for the SchoolMates program.

In order to ensure that the SchoolMates program is ready for all students at the start of the school year, a SchoolMates building will be relocated, at least on a temporary basis, to the Beach blacktop. Although this change will reduce some of the play area immediately outside Beach School, we will work to best accommodate this change with minimal impact on our students and instructional programs.

The City and District are in the process of identifying options for a “permanent” (two-year) location for the SchoolMates building and will consider the options following the legally-required public notice and opportunity for comment by parents, staff and the neighbors. Many options have been explored and proven to be impractical or cost-prohibitive. Possible permanent locations still under consideration include, but are not limited to, leaving the SchoolMates
building on the Beach blacktop or moving the building to the City-owned tennis courts that are between the Beach School and the Beach field. The City and District will work together to reach a decision that is in the best interest of the community and makes the best use of community resources.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we look forward to seeing you and your students on August 26th.

Sincerely,

Constance Hubbard

Superintendent

A Parent’s Guide to Safer School Supplies

FYI, The Center for Health, Environment and Justice has just released this guide to the most common back-to-school supplies made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC or vinyl), as well as suggestions for safer, PVC-free alternatives. I found it especially helpful to see the list of non-PVC lunch boxes (starting on page 9). Get the guide.

The Back to School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies

Keep the Poison Plastic Off Your Back-to-School Shopping List!

The Center for Health, Environment and Justice (CHEJ) is proud to announce the release of our Back-to-School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies to help you make healthy shopping choices that are safer for your kids, your community and the environment. Many children’s school supplies, such as lunchboxes, backpacks and binders, are often made out of PVC—a toxic plastic that is dangerous to our health and the environment. This guide lists the most common back-to-school supplies made out of toxic PVC and suggests safer PVC-free products in over 20 product categories.

Get the guide here.

Tri-School Dads Club Softball Game

It’s almost here! The Dads Club rivalry continues.

Root for the Baja Padres (Beach Dads), the Havens, or the Wildwood Dads this Saturday, June 13th, 2-5 at Coaches Field.

Come out and support your school at the 3rd annual tri-school softball game.  BBQ and games for the kids in deepest right field. Proceeds benefit the APCP program of the winning school’s choice.