If San Quentin decides to install synthetic turf this year in place of the old geese-poop-filled grass, the fiscal saving in water usage may not outweigh the long-term physical effects on the future residents.

Many public health advocates claim artificial turf has high contents of polyfluoroalkyls, substances that can cause serious health risks to athletes, according to an article by Tom Perkins in The Guardian.

PFAs, also known as “forever chemicals,” can be absorbed through skin, inhaled, ingested, or get in wounds. One small study involving six-year-old soccer players and their coach found “artificial turf presents a health threat,” according to Kyla Bennett, a co-author of the nonprofit Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility study.

Bennett went on to say, “In 2024, the last thing we should be doing is putting down acres of a plastic fossil fuel product … with chemicals that are going to get all over athletes’ skin, and into soil and water. It just boggles my mind that people are still considering using this stuff.”

Perkins explains that PFAs, a class of 15,000 chemicals, can be used to make products that resist water, stains, and heat. Many of these chemicals are connected to cancer, liver problems, kidney disease, birth defects, and other serious issues.

In certain studies, athletes’ skin was swabbed before play and after; an increase in the most dangerous of the PFAs was found in three out of four players. In one player, it was doubled. According to Perkins, it has been found that some synthetic turf uses ground-up tires in its creation that contain heavy metals, benzene, and other carcinogens.

According to an ABC News story written by Leah Sarnoff, “forever chemicals” used in artificial turf pose serious dangers and exist in these types of products.

Sarnoff’s article also discussed the plastic faux field issue with PEER’s Dr. Kyla Bennett, who told Sarnoff, “Think about the wisdom of putting down acres of plastic in the year 2024 … and then allowing athletes to go play on that for hours a week. To me, it doesn’t pass the straight-face test.”

For over 50 years many variations of synthetic turf have expanded to thousands of recreational and professional-level fields throughout the nation, replacing natural real grass. 

One champion of this field, Melanie Taylor, president of the Synthetic Turf Council, told ABC News, “The synthetic turf industry is proud to deliver quality products that make a positive difference and are used by thousands of communities nationwide.” The council claims there are 12,000 to 13,000 artificial turf fields in the nation, adding 1,200 to 1,500 new installations each year.

Another synthetic turf manufacturer, Tough Turtle Turf, told ABC News that it “just makes sense” for multi-use sports fields that are used year-round. Tough Turtles design specialist Peter Wierzba explains, “With natural grass, you get spotty fields, you get a lot of divots, you get a lot of gopher issues … and those can be very, very harmful for injuries, ankles, knees, and things of that sort.”  Wierzba also said, “Synthetic turf reduces the use of pesticides, fertilizers, and gas and oil from lawn equipment.”

While representing her advocacy group, Bennett said, “There’s no doubt in my mind that the dangers of artificial turf outweigh any potential benefits.”

It appears that athletes at San Quentin are debating about the potential pitfalls of synthetic turf.

Resident A. Sangabriel, 48, used to play on the SQ Earthquakes soccer team before injuring his knee on the only dirt field available at the prison. “Even though I tripped over a pothole, I’d still rather play on grass instead of artificial turf,” said Sangabriel.

He said the good thing about playing on turf is that the ball moves faster because the ground is harder. However, Sangabriel also stated that when you slide-tackle or fall, the synthetic turf causes bad rug burns and hurts more than natural grass.

Second baseman J. Uhler, who plays for the SQ “Hard Timers” softball team, added, “The smell of fresh-cut grass is part of playing baseball. The little league fields I grew up playing on all had real grass and the outfielders always had to be careful not to trip over the sprinklers.”

Uhler said playing ball at The Q is risky because of the potential tripping hazards and welcomed any improvement to the current condition of the field, whether it is synthetic or natural turf.