COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Some parents in Cobb County are upset after discovering plans to change the county’s grass fields to artificial turf at local parks.
“I think they don’t need to jump on every bandwagon that they think of and I think they need to do more research,” said Amanda Escano, a Cobb County resident.
In a Channel 2 Action News investigation, experts questioned the safety of "tire crumb," and now even federal officials are no longer standing by its safety.
According to a 66-page report on how Cobb County SPLOST will be spent, nearly $18 million will go towards converting the county’s grass fields to artificial turf. Many voters told us they didn't know this was part of how their taxpayer money would be spent when they voted for SPLOST in early November.
“I wouldn’t have voted for that if I’d known that this is what they were going to use it for,” said Escano.
“The issue is, should taxpayers be paying for something that could be potentially hazardous to the health of our children,” said Lance Lamberton, the chairman of the Cobb Taxpayers Association.
“We are aware of the report. We are monitoring it as it develops, with more research being done, we will continue to see how things evolve,” said Robert Quigley, the communications director for Cobb County Government.
[ The Synthetic Turf Council stands by the product’s safety. ]
Supporters also say the turf will save money in the long term, but some parents are not so sure.
“If it is something that is out there, that can be a possibly be danger, why would we test that for our children? Why would we even want to put that in our children’s body?” asked Sarah Alexander, a Cobb County parent.