Information about Plant-Based Infills (PBI): Cork, Coconut and Corkonut Infills "The skin is all ripped off; it's pretty disgusting. It's like walking on hot coals with your skin ripping and slowly cracking, constantly." – Australia NT Striker, Michelle Heyman50 “I don't want no FieldTurf. It's bad on your knees." – Steelers CB, Ike Taylor1 Table of Contents Summary .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 1 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Real Grass Athletic Fields ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Licensed Professional Agronomists .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Fraze Mowing: Successful Fields and Cost Savings ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 3 Seeding with Appropriate Variety of Grass: Successful Fields and Cost Savings....................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Playing through Rain ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Examples of Professionally Built/Managed Successful Real Grass Athletic Fields, including 1,000 Hours Play/Year ................................................................................... 5 Real Grass Field Makeover ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 7 Heard from Professional Athletes ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Heard from Student Athletes ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 14 Heard from Parents ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 Heard from Pediatricians, a Toxicologist, Other ............................................................................................................................................................................ 17 Comparison of Real Grass Fields and Synthetic Turf Fields ........................................................................................................................................................... 18 PBI General Information ................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 36 Brands ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 36 False Advertising ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 36 Overview of Risk Areas for Plant-Based Infills (PBI) .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 37 Other PBI Observations ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 37 Dangers to Health that Can Be Seen .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 38 The EW GROSS! Factor and Chemical Treatments Used ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 38 01/25/2017 Information about Plant-Based Infills (PBI): Cork, Coconut and Corkonut Infills P a g e | i Abrasions (Turf Burns) ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 39 2nd-3rd Degree Burns ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 40 Melted: Cleats, Synthetic Turf Fibers and a Thick Water Bottle .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 41 Temperatures.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 42 Pictures of Floating/Migrating PBI Illustrating Injury Risk: Concussions ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 46 Carcinogens, Respiratory Effects, Lead Exposure, Chemical Treatment, Injury Risk, 2nd-3rd Degree Burns, Heat Stroke, Environmental Risks, The Unknowns ............. 47 Maintenance, Replacement, Disposal ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 52 Synthetic Turf Field Costs .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 53 Studies and Actual Scenarios Confirm Natural Grass is Cheaper ................................................................................................................................................................. 53 Sample 24-Year Life Cycle Costs: Comparing Synthetic Turf Fields with Real Grass Fields ......................................................................................................................... 55 Sample Cost Estimate of Synthetic Turf Fields Using GreenPlay (Corkonut) Infill and Real Grass Fields: Rockwood School District ........................................................ 56 List of Costs Associated with RSD’s Four Synthetic Turf Fields Installation, Infill according to RSD Budget ................................................................................................. 57 RSD Cost Estimate: Synthetic Turf Costs Based on Research/Real Grass Fields Based on Estimate from Local Professional Landscaping Company .......................... 58 Original Spreadsheet Distributed to RSD CSIP Finance Committee ............................................................................................................................................................. 59 Synthetic Turf Plant-Based Infill (PBI), Corkonut, Costs Compared with Tire Crumb Infill ............................................................................................................................. 60 Summing It Up ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 64 Additional Photo Sources ................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 65 Other Graphics Sources ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................