by Seth Rogovoy

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Eagle reports that proponents of an artificial turf field at Berkshire Community College say the project, after clearing all regulatory hurdles last year, will finally break ground in May. It will be the first publicly available turf field in Berkshire County, and will be made largely of polyester, silica sand and encapsulated crumb rubber.

This despite the fact that the Center for Environmental Health warns that the crumb rubber turf “contains a cocktail of toxic chemicals, including benzothiazole, carbon black, and heavy metals,” and that “Exposures to chemicals present in crumb rubber at very high levels … are known to cause birth defects, neurologic and developmental deficits, and some can even cause cancer.”

Read also, Does playing on artificial turf pose a health risk for your child? (WaPo)