Today, the Senate Environment Committee unanimously released S3254 (Mukherji/Greenstein), which prohibits the expenditure of Green Acres funds for the purchase, use, installation, or replacement of artificial turf fields. In recent years, the Green Acres Program has spent millions in public funding on artificial fields, including $10 million in 2023 and another $4 million in 2025. This legislation is essential for protecting our environment and public health, and for ensuring that Green Acres funds are strictly dedicated to conservation and safe recreation.
The current use of state tax dollars for artificial turf not only undermines conservation efforts but also raises significant environmental concerns. One artificial turf field contains approximately 40,000 pounds of plastic, equivalent to 2.4 million plastic water bottles. Alarmingly, up to 8% of these plastic blades may break off each year, entering our local ecosystems. Other key concerns include:
- Public Health Risks: These plastic blades contain harmful chemicals like PFAS, which are known to be harmful to humans and animals. We also know that crumb rubber contains a harmful mix of chemicals, including VOCs like benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, formaldehyde, and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), as well as lead, which is a carcinogen. Mount Sinai also notes that the alternative infill often contains many of the same carcinogens and neurotoxins.
- Waste Crisis: With a lifespan of only 8 to 10 years and a lack of recycling options, discarded artificial fields contribute to landfills and the illegal dumping of hazardous materials, leaching harmful substances into our soil and water.
- Extreme Heat Hazards: On hot summer days, artificial surfaces can reach temperatures up to 70 degrees hotter than natural grass, causing injuries to our children, including heat stroke and blisters.
- Financial Implications: The financial burden of artificial turf is significant, with towns and schools facing a replacement cost of about $2.7 million every decade compared to just $430,000 for natural grass. Artificial turf requires ongoing maintenance, including brushing and chemical cleaning.
“We thank the Senate Environment Committee for taking this crucial step towards safe recreation. The Green Acres Program was created to protect New Jersey’s natural environment, not to pave it over with plastic. S3254 (Mukherji/Greenstein) is vital because it prevents the state from subsidizing expensive, plastic, PFAS-ridden artificial turf that sheds microplastics and poses extreme heat risks to athletes,” said Taylor McFarland, Conservation Program Manager of the Sierra Club NJ Chapter. “By ensuring that public funds are directed toward safe, natural, and sustainable recreational spaces like natural grass, New Jersey is prioritizing public health and environmental stewardship over toxic, plastic alternatives.”