How Pennsylvania became a dumping ground for discarded artificial turf

[FakeNoose]

7. It's the toxic chemicals, the PFAs, that can't be removed from the old turf

Last edited Thu Dec 14, 2023, 09:57 PM - Edit history (1)

While the turf sits on these farms, the PFAS will continue to leech into the ground. Well that's not good, it contaminates drinking water and ruins the soil. This company Re-Match is from Europe, where they have a recycling successful business , however the requirements are different from ours in the US.

It's actually quite complicated but it's spelled out in this article (OP link) in the Philly Inquirer. The original plan was to build a recycling plant in Luzerne County PA. Suddenly every sports facility wanted to unload their old synthetic turf and send it to Luzerne, but the factory was never built. Now Re-Match is building in Rush Township Schuylkill County, but they aren't ready to do any recycling yet. The Pennsylvania DEP got involved and now they're demanding that a large bond must be posted. It's very involved and lots of red-tape happening. Apparently Re-Match hasn't said whether they have a way to remove the toxic chemicals, and that suggests that there's really, actually, no safe way to do it.

Edit to add: Archived NO PAYWALL link: https://archive.ph/qCl1c