A dozen people standing behind Otto Lee, man wearing a suit and tinted glasses, as he stands behind a podium with the county's sign. Some people are holding signs reading slogans such as "Kids want safe grass to play on" and "say no to plastic say yes to grass"
Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors President Otto Lee speaks on Jan. 24, 2025 about the negative medical and environmental effects of artificial turf ahead of a potential ban on county fields. Photo by B. Sakura Cannestra.

A potential artificial turf ban in Santa Clara County is in stasis as officials have failed to come to a consensus.

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors was unable to agree on how to limit artificial turf on county fields at its Tuesday meeting. The board rejected a total ban with a 2-3 vote, with Supervisors Otto Lee and Margaret Abe-Koga voting yes and Supervisors Sylvia Arenas, Susan Ellenberg and Betty Duong voting no. Another proposed ban with exceptions for athletic fields died with a 2-3 vote, with Duong, Abe-Koga and Ellenberg voting against it.

The lack of consensus means no action will be taken, but the ban could be brought back for reconsideration in the future.

Lee originally proposed the topic, citing multiple adverse health effects from the plastic in artificial turf, namely potentially harmful chemicals known as PFAS. These chemicals have been found to cause long-term illnesses, including cancer. He said after the vote that the county will have opportunities to build more natural grass fields in the future and the county’s discussion was viewed around the world, noting the board received emails from as far as Australia.

“While we did not get the result we hoped for today, we still made progress to bring awareness to the impacts of plastic turf,” Lee told San José Spotlight. “A statement was made today that we care about our playing fields for our kids and athletes, and other jurisdictions will be able to take our body of work toward their future considerations.”

Duong, who voted no on all proposed motions, said she wanted to preserve the county’s flexibility to use artificial turf when necessary. She wants to decide on a case by case basis, should proposals for new fields come to the board.

“I support the most natural resources, the healthiest options for all of our children, but we must balance that with options, with choice and with flexibility,” Duong said at the meeting.

Arenas opposed the total ban and said she leaned toward a middle ground approach. She also said the county has more pressing issues to dedicate its resources toward, citing a decision earlier in the meeting to decrease funds for the county Public Defender’s Office.

More than 100 people spoke at the meeting with mixed opinions on the beneficial or harmful effects of artificial turf, including health and environmental concerns, as well as equitable access to sports.

Supervisors began studying banning artificial turf in April 2024. At the time, Ellenberg and former Supervisor Cindy Chavez voiced concerns about whether a ban might affect ongoing negotiations with county land leaseholders who have artificial turf on their properties or are planning to install it at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds.

There is no artificial turf in county-operated parks, but several local cities have it installed in their parks, including San Jose and Sunnyvale.

Some cities have been reevaluating their use of artificial turf. Palo Alto’s Finance Committee halted plans to replace a lawn near the Menlo Park border with artificial turf. Parents and advocates lobbied the Sunnyvale City Council to not install an artificial turf field during the Lakewood Park renovations, and the city is studying a potential ban.

A county website cites reports that link plastics found in artificial turf to long-lasting health concerns, such as cancer. Artificial turf fields create heat islands by attracting and retaining more heat, putting users at risk of heat-related illnesses. A 2023 state law shuts down artificial turf fields at extreme temperatures and highlights health issues from PFAS found in the turf.

Lee gathered with environmental and health advocates Friday to discuss why the ban is necessary to prevent health issues from microplastics and reduce contaminants from entering the water supply.

The Santa Clara County Medical Association supports a ban and has sent multiple letters advocating against the installation of artificial turf fields to the Sunnyvale City Council, Fremont Union High School District and Saratoga High School board. Dr. Fahd Khan, president of the association, spoke about these and other medical dangers, including a higher risk of injury for athletes playing on artificial turf fields.

“Athletes deserve to play on surfaces that support their performance and prioritize their safety,” Khan said at the Friday gathering.

Local athletic groups have opposed these bans and supported artificial turf fields, saying they’re more reliable and last longer than natural grass fields. Grass fields also can’t be used during rainy weather, limiting play time.

Multiple representatives from the artificial turf industry opposed the idea of a ban. Synthetic Turf Council President Melanie Taylor sent a letter to county supervisors Friday outlining the positive impacts of artificial turf, such as industry innovations to increase the recyclability of plastic and rubber used in the fields. She also cited other studies showing artificial fields conserve water and increase accessibility to fields because of the turf’s durability compared to natural grass.

“Synthetic turf provides environmental benefits, increased access, and cost savings to communities across the country,” Taylor’s letter reads. “Motions to ban synthetic turf hinder communities’ ability to access these benefits should be reconsidered.”

Representatives from local sports organizations previously told San José Spotlight they prefer natural grass fields if well maintained.

Keep our journalism free for everyone!Cortney Jansen, Community For Natural Play Surfaces member and Sunnyvale resident, wanted the ban to move forward and hoped it would push local governments to invest more in maintaining their natural grass fields.

“Ideally, we don’t even have sports people who are saying they want artificial turf because … we have provided everyone in our community with the well-maintained sustainable grass fields,” Jansen told San José Spotlight on Friday.

Contact B. Sakura Cannestra at [email protected] or @SakuCannestra on X.

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