Some Missoulians concerned about Ogren Field artificial turf proposal
Laura Lundquist
(Missoula Current) After representatives of the Missoula Paddleheads told the city they’d like to install artificial turf on Ogren Field, some Missoulians are saying they don’t want more plastic, especially right next to the Clark Fork River.
On Saturday afternoon, MT Plastic Free and Families for a Livable Climate hosted an open house at Free Cycles to educate the public about the detrimental aspects of artificial turf. A panel discussion addressed various problems including the toxic chemicals used in artificial turf, the myth of recycling and potential environmental damage to surrounding neighborhoods and the river. The panelists emphasized that artificial turf sheds microplastics into the air, soil, and water, isn’t recyclable, and gets much hotter than grass, raising the local temperature.
Jeremy Drake of MT Plastic Free said artificial turf goes against much of what the city has already supported and then rattled off all the resolutions and plans passed by the City of Missoula in the past five years that don’t support installing artificial turf in city parks. They include a resolution to regulate single-use plastics, a Climate Action Resiliency resolution, the Land-Use plan and the Zero by ’50 zero-waste plan, which Drake helped author.
Periodically, synthetic turf has to be replaced, and although the material has changed since the original hard “Astroturf,” it’s still not really recyclable, Drake said. Businesses such as Re-match that started with the intent of recycling artificial turf haven’t been successful, partly because of insufficient quantities. So the turf would add to the city’s waste because the city owns the ballpark.
“In November, the Parks Department said they want places for kids to play. That’s an important priority, but the city does have other priorities as well. The concept of introducing more artificial turf on city property is in direct conflict with these city priorities,” Drake said. “More artificial turf is just counter to the city’s values.”
Susan Teitelman of Climate Smart Missoula said her organization was able to collect temperature data this past summer to learn where heat islands exist in the city. Heat islands occur when developed areas are hotter than nearby rural areas or hotter than other parts of the city such as parks. Climate Smart Missoula found heat islands around Reserve Street and around the Northside and Westside neighborhoods.
While they were at it, they also used a thermal camera to measure the temperature of the artificial turf at Big Sky High School and the Fort Missoula fields. With 1.2 acres of a football field covered in synthetic material, they found it to be 25 degrees hotter than the neighboring grass fields. In 2024, Missoula had 22 days with temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
“Adding another artificial turf field is one of those things that will contribute to our heat islands,” Teitelman said. “We have goals to make sure that Missoula is cool and climate resilient and hospitable to all of us living here. So creating another urban heat island is not going in the direction we want to go.”
University of Montana professor emeritus Vicki Watson said the city needs to look to Montana’s Constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment and realize that what we do to the Clark Fork River here affects thousands of people who live downstream. Putting synthetic turf in a ball field that is right next to the river means more microplastics and dangerous chemicals such as PFAS will end up in the river.
The field might not end up using a tire-crumb infill, which is detrimental to salmon because it releases destructive chemicals such as 6-PPD. But a new replacement, Envirofill, is coated with fungicide to reduce molds, and that can be environmentally destructive when it spreads outside the field and especially if it enters the river, Watson said.
“I suggest we ask the university to conduct studies of the artificial turf we already have, find out what they’re releasing and evaluate the full environmental impacts of those materials before we install any more. The precautionary principle says not all change is progress. It’s the responsibility of those who propose the change to show that it is less harmful than what it’s replacing,” Watson said. “I think we need an environmental impact statement.”
Three members of the city council - Justin Ponton, Sean McCoy and Kristen Jordan - were among the few dozen people in the audience. Jordan said the voters had no input on artificial turf installation at the high school or the university, but they do on city property. The Paddleheads’ proposal was backed by Missoula Parks and Rec director Donna Gaukler, who has since retired, but for now, the committee has put the proposal on hold.
“(Gaukler) said there’s PFAS everywhere so there’s not really a problem to worry about. The Parks Department sees artificial turf as a way to fudge seasons by having a field for kids to play on that’s not muddy or frozen. They weren’t really addressing the significant environmental concerns with it,” Jordan said. “We have the ability to vote directly on this based on what voters want.”
An audience member said that, as a baseball fan, he “abhors” artificial turf because it causes more injuries than natural grass. Athletic cleats are more likely to get stuck because the artificial grass blades either don’t bend like real grass or they tend to clump together. As a result, more leg injuries occur. A National Institute of Health 2023 literature review “suggests a higher rate of foot and ankle injuries on artificial turf, both old-generation and new-generation turf, compared with natural grass.”
That’s why the Chicago Bears football team plays on grass in blustery Soldier Stadium. After using artificial turf for a few years, the Bears switched back to Bermudagrass, which is used by 10 other NFL teams. Bears owner Michael McCaskey told the Chicago Tribune in 1988, "I've urged the park district for two years, maybe longer, to put in grass. The artificial surface puts a lot more strain on the joints. When you look at the time it takes players to recover after playing on artificial turf as compared to grass, I think this will help the team a lot, especially older players.” Three other teams, including the Denver Broncos, use Kentucky bluegrass.
In addition, the National Center for Health Research found the hotter conditions caused by artificial turf can result in heat exhaustion, heat stroke and burns. And synthetic turf causes more abrasions when athletes fall. In a study looking at high school lacrosse games, abrasion accounted for 19.3% of all injuries on artificial turf while abrasion due to grass caused only 0.5% of injuries.
Contact reporter Laura Lundquist at lundquist@missoulacurrent.com.