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A4908
ASSEMBLY, No. 4908
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
INTRODUCED MAY 7, 2026
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman� ALIXON COLLAZOS-GILL
District 27 (Essex and Passaic)
Assemblyman� ROY FREIMAN
District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblymen Kearney, Bhalla and Assemblywoman Brennan
SYNOPSIS
���� Prohibits expenditure of Green Acres funds for
purchase, use, installation, or replacement of artificial turf fields.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� As introduced.
��
An Act
prohibiting the expenditure of Green Acres funds
for the purchase, use, installation, or replacement of artificial turf fields
and supplementing P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-43 et seq.).
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� The Legislature finds
and declares that:
���� a.���� Synthetic turf infill
is made of small, rubberized pellets typically made from used tires which
contain a myriad of chemicals known to be harmful to humans, including
carcinogens, neurotoxicants, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
���� b.��� A regular sized
synthetic turf field contains 500,000 pounds of plastic, which breaks down into
microplastics and nanoplastics that are subsequently incorporated in runoff that
flows into streams during heavy rains, causing environmental contamination,
harm to aquatic life, and a disruption of the State�s delicate ecosystem.
���� c.���� Recent studies suggest
that exposure to microplastics and nanoplastics can cause negative health
effects in humans, including, but not limited to, oxidative stress,
inflammation, immune dysfunction, altered biochemical and energy metabolism,
impaired cell proliferation, disrupted microbial metabolic pathways, abnormal
organ development, and carcinogenicity.
���� d.��� To date, all studies of
installed synthetic turf have found the presence of perfluoroalkyl and
polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), nicknamed �forever chemicals� because they
accumulate, rather than break down, over time, and build up in the human body.
���� e.���� Recent studies suggest that
exposure to PFAS, and the resulting accumulation of PFAS in the human body, may
be linked to many health issues, including, but not limited to, decreased
fertility in women, developmental delays in children, increased risk of certain
cancers, reduced immune system response, thyroid disease, and kidney and liver
damage.
���� f.���� When exposed to direct
sunlight, a synthetic turf field�s surface temperature can reach up to 72
degrees hotter than natural grass, increasing the surrounding air temperature
and placing athletes at risk of dehydration, heat stress, burns, and heatstroke.�
In addition, the rough surface of synthetic turf can cause abrasions, known as
turf burn.
���� g.��� Natural grass is free of
the health and environmental hazards associated with synthetic turf, and
organic maintenance practices, including frequent aeration and mowing, soil
testing, and use of organic fertilizers, can further mitigate environmental and
health risks by eliminating the need for toxic pesticides.
���� h.��� While synthetic turf is
often touted as cost-effective, low-maintenance, and water-saving, the
environmental, health, and safety risks greatly outweigh the intended benefits,
and municipalities, school districts, or State departments or agencies should
instead invest in safe, non-toxic, natural grass playing fields.
���� 2.��� The moneys deposited in
the "Preserve New Jersey Green Acres Fund," established pursuant to
section 6 of P.L.2016, c.12 (C.13:8C-48) or any other Green Acres Fund, shall
not be used to fund the purchase, use, installation, or replacement of artificial
turf fields.
���� 3.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.
STATEMENT
���� This bill would prohibit the
expenditure of Green Acres funds for the purchase, use, installation, or
replacement of artificial turf.� Synthetic turf contains a myriad of chemicals
known to be harmful to humans, including carcinogens, neurotoxicants, and
endocrine-disrupting chemicals, as well as microplastics, nanoplastics, and perfluoroalkyl
and polyfluoroalkyl substances.� Natural grass is free of the health and
environmental hazards associated with synthetic turf.� While synthetic turf is
often touted as cost-effective, low-maintenance, and water-saving, the
environmental, health, and safety risks greatly outweigh the intended benefits.