Hello all.
I was looking at the RACE page on the RSU 26 site. One of the things I noted in connection with this project is the intention to install artificial playing surfaces for the athletic fields.
There has been a great deal of coverage in the media concerning the link between the rubber tire crumbs used as bedding in such fields and cancer. Simply search "artificial turf and cancer" or "astro turf and cancer" and you will get many interesting results, including columns and articles in the Washington Post, Forbes, and Environmental and Human Health.
The articles often focus on a high incidence of cancer for soccer goalies, who are frequently rolling in these crumbs, but it seems that football players would have similar exposure. Ground water impact is also of concern, naturally.
Whatever you may think about the appropriate scope and projected cost of the RACE project, or its impact on adjacent residential properties, I think there is a serious need to evaluate the appropriateness of installing artificial surfaces. High school years are important developmentally, and exposure to carcinogens at a young age is a major concern.
Best,
Marc Veilleux
Orono