- "Forever chemicals" were found in turf that was used in the Philadelphia Phillies' old stadium.
- The chemicals were revealed as part of an investigation by the Philadelphia Inquirer.
An investigation into the deaths of six former Philadelphia Phillies players from the same type of brain cancer has found that the artificial turf where they played for years contains dangerous compounds commonly referred to as "forever chemicals."
Following former Phillies relief pitcher David West's death last year, reporters from the Philadelphia Inquirer purchased pieces of the AstroTurf available for sale online to have them tested for chemicals. The artificial turf was used for years and replaced several times at Veterans Stadium, where both the Philadelphia Eagles and Phillies played from 1971 to 2003.
The Inquirer hired a lab to test for 70 different per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which are commonly referred to as PFAS or "forever chemicals." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers them dangerous because they do not break down easily in the environment and can contaminate drinking water.
The tests performed by Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories Environmental Testing found 16 PFAS in the turf samples, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), according to the Inquirer. PFOA and PFOS are two of the most-studied PFAS, as they have been produced and used the most.
The American Cancer Society says studies in animals and humans have linked the chemicals to certain types of cancer, but further research is required to clarify a definitive link.
The labs that performed the tests told the Inquirer that the levels present in the turf would be concerning if they were found in drinking water, but less is known about the effects of repeated skin contact with the chemicals.
The turf used in the stadium, where recorded temperatures were regularly over 100 degrees during summer Phillies games, also could have released chemical vapors that were inhaled by the players, according to the Inquirer.
The Phillies responded to the report, saying several brain cancer experts have told the organization there is no proven link between the turf and the deaths of the six players, who all died before the age of 60.
However, the Inquirer reported that other experts cited studies finding PFAS in brains — one by Chinese researchers that found the chemicals in brain tumor tissue, and another by Italian scientists that found PFAS in the brains of people who drank water contaminated with the chemicals.
The Phillies played their last game at the stadium in September 2003 and it was demolished in March 2004.
The six former Phillies — Tug McGraw, Darren Daulton, John Vukovich, John Oates, Ken Brett, and David West — all died of glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. The tumor is most common among those in their demographic: white men between the ages of 40 and 70, a neurologist told the Inquirer.
But the rate at which it was found in the over 500 Phillies who played on the turf for years is about three times higher than the average rate, according to the Inquirer.