California takes its artificial turf concerns to court

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission declared artificial turf safe, but the California Attorney General’s office isn’t buying it.

Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown filed a lawsuit against three artificial turf manufacturers Tuesday, saying their lead-filled product violates the state’s environmental laws as stipulated in Proposition 65.

The lawsuit cites the discovery of high levels of lead in turf samples from the three companies. In addition, it alleges these companies knowingly failed to disclose lead was used in their products.

Depending on how the lawsuit turns out, this could eventually morph into a financial nightmare for high schools that made the transition to the fake stuff. The state is concerned about the high amount of lead the fields release as they get older and it might force schools to replace fields someday.

-- Austin Knoblauch

-- Image by Stephen Osman/Los Angeles Times