Fwd: Artificial Turf Updates & Action items - National PTA & LAUSD

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Linda Hutchins-Knowles

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Jun 16, 2026, 3:59:51 PMJun 16
to Plastics CAC
Hot on the heels of Bob’s email, here’s another about artificial (plastic) turf. (I see that the first action item is time-sensitive.)

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Linda Hutchins-Knowles (she/her)
Campaigns and Volunteer Engagement
Climate Action California


Begin forwarded message:

From: Terry Saucier <terrys...@gmail.com>
Subject: Artificial Turf Updates & Action items - National PTA & LAUSD
Date: June 16, 2026 at 12:53:51 PM PDT
To: undisclosed-recipients:;

Dear Friends,

 

A quick update on our ongoing efforts to ban new and replacement installations of artificial turf across all applications because of its harmful impacts on human health, the environment, and wildlife. While we continue to meet with Los Angeles City agencies named in the artificial turf motion (CF 24-0602), including LAUSD, LA Community College District, and LA Rec and Parks, as well as councilmembers and environmental justice/social justice organizations; there are a number of action items on the academic front.

 

ACTION ITEMS

TODAY! Urge CA PTA to Support the National Artificial Turf Moratorium Resolution

 

The National PTA Convention starts tomorrow and a resolution for a moratorium on artificial turf is on the agenda. Please send a quick email urging California’s PTA leadership to direct our state’s representative to support this resolution.

 

To: CA State PTA Executive Director - jkit...@capta.org
Subject: Vote “YES” on Resolution for Moratorium and Warnings on Artificial Turf

 

Tell LAUSD to NOT install plastic fields at 3 High Schools
 
After attending LAUSD’s Turf Study outreach meetings it’s evident there is a lot of misinformation that needs to be addressed, as such we are meeting with them this week. In the meantime, despite banning artificial turf installations at early education, elementary and middle schools, and putting some high school fields on hold until the study is completed, LAUSD will replace natural grass athletic fields with plastic at Cleveland HS and Eagle Rock Jr/HS, and replace aging artificial turf at John Marshall HS. Please tell the district to change course.

 

To: LAUSD facilities, FSD Community Relations Department -  community...@laschools.org, cp-maribe...@lausd.net, jocelyn...@lausd.net
CC: LAUSD Board of education - boardm...@lausd.net
Subject: DON’T install plastic fields at Cleveland, Eagle Rock and Marshall High Schools
 
(Sample Text)
We now know that artificial turf is not a safe or sustainable solution for our schools. Key concerns include its impacts on human health, air, water, and soil quality, chemical and microplastic exposures, as well as extreme heat, increased player injuries, climate impacts, biodiversity loss, flammability, and lack of recyclability. Please change course, don’t install plastic fields at Cleveland HS, Eagle Rock Jr./HS and John Marshall HS.

 

It's time to prioritize sustainably managed, drought-tolerant natural grass athletic fields that are cost-effective, use less water, meet needed playable hours, and provide a cooler, safer environment for students, staff, and the surrounding community.

 

Next - Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) We had a great meeting with LACCD leaders and more will follow. However, we were disappointed to learn that two campuses will be installing artificial turf fields, including Pierce College, which will replace the natural grass baseball and softball fields with plastic. This not only runs counter to LACCD’s 2020 Clean Energy and Sustainability Resolution, but Pierce is located in one of LA’s hottest areas. The fields will be dangerously hot. We took sample surface temperatures at Pierce on a sunny 77ºF day, the hottest surfaces were the discarded artificial turf near the baseball field at 156.2ºF and the artificial turf in the football stadium at 141ºF. The coolest measurements were on the grass in the shade at 64.6ºF and the baseball field at 92ºF. We hope to turn this around - keep you posted.

 

Thank you for your advocacy. If you have any questions and/or would like to get further involved, please contact us.

 

With much appreciation,
Terry Saucier
SoCal Stop Artificial Turf Task Force, Chair
 
 
Good News!
Who knew? The City of San Fernando has a landscape ordinance that includes a ban on artificial turf installations, Sec. 106-347 and Sec. 106-351. Check it out.

 

Recent Research/Comments
 
Extreme Heat Affects Early Childhood Development and Health
 
Protecting the developing brains of children from Plastics-Derived chemicals and microplastic particles
Carmen J. Marsit, Deborah H. Bennett, Linda S. Birnbaum, Charlotte Brody, Brenda Eskenazi, Eve Gartner, Irva Hertz-Picciotto, Deborah Hirtz, Pamela Miller, Frederica Perera, Susan L. Schantz, Maureen Swanson, Tanya Khemet Taiwo, Beate Ritz, Protecting the developing brains of children from Plastics-Derived chemicals and microplastic particles, Environment International, Volume 212, 2026, 110284, ISSN 0160-4120, (2026) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412026002424

 

Attorney General Bonta joins coalition of 14 attorneys general sending comment letter to EPA on microplastics and drinking water https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-sends-comment-letter-epa-microplastics


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   Albert Einstein  "Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value..."
                                              https://climate.nasa.gov/                    https://www.climaterealityproject.org/

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