Poll: Cork over rubber for Casa Grande turf

Readers in an online Argus-Courier poll were opposed to using crumb rubber to fill the new artificial turf field at Casa Grande High School.

About 52 percent said the school district should use cork instead of rubber. Another 36 percent said they should have left the grass field.

Here are some of the comments:

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“Regardless of whether there is really a health hazard caused by crumb rubber, it does not make sense to disperse particles of rubber into the ground. I’m sure there are many uses that recycled rubber can be put to but athletic fields should not be one of them.”

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“ Use all-natural organic infill like Geofill from Italgreen.”

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“If they must change it, then cork, and only if they do the same at Petaluma High School.”

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“The health risks that we already know of regarding artificial turf should sound warnings never to utilize rubber anywhere where children and youth play. Artificial turf was created to be used in indoor stadiums where grass cannot readily grow. It has no use in areas such as ours.”

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“Rubber leads to increased risk of cancer.”

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“When are people going to stop dreaming up these health concerns? Are we all done with the cell phone brain cancer scare now? What’s next people?”

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“It’s a joke that this bond passed and Casa will not have their field this season and Petaluma High has to wait another season. Meanwhile, homeowners are being taxed.”

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“Cork! Hey, this is wine country!”

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“Leave the grass. Just more expense to add something else.”

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“If not grass then cork. Rubber may be causing cancers. Why take the risk?”

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“The best option is a product called GeoPro, a combination of cork, coconut fiber and rice hulls. Non-toxic, doesn’t heat up, widely used in the US and Bay Area.”

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“Synthetic turf is toxic and a danger for children and students to play on. Grass is the only safe surface for children and students.”

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“Ground-up tires, a known carcinogen, should not be in our community. Do the right thing, Petaluma City Schools.”

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“This field has been in the works for some time and there was plenty of information about the safety of crumb rubber prior to now. I only wish the citizens would have spoke up sooner as I understand there is a significant additional cost factor involved now at the stage of construction.”

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“Anything that is known to cause cancer should definitely not be used. We need to protect our children.”

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“Natural grass is far preferable to artificial grass. For the money spent on a plastic grass field you could have a professional level natural grass field. Cork is far preferable to ground up rubber tires or even rubber soles of shoes. No toxic chemicals in cork.”

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“This is about the safety of our children.”