Parade of Pollution: Aug. 3rd Dumpster Overflowing with Plastic, Crumb Rubber Clogged Storm Drain, MDE Inspection After Heavy Rain #ArtificialTurfPrivilege

Part 9: 

These pictures show what Richard Montgomery High School (RMHS) looked like on August 3, 2018.  This is now 16 days after the artificial turf field was supposedly removed from RMHS according to the letter distributed by Council President Hans Riemer.  The pictures show what appears to be a 4th dumpster full of used plastic grass, crumb rubber and trash.

There is also a RMHS storm drain completely clogged with crumb rubber showing that the "filters" that Superintendent Jack R. Smith and MCPS COO Andrew Zuckerman have said were keeping the crumb rubber out of the Cabin John Watershed had completely failed.

Note that the day before these pictures were taken, August 2nd, the storm drains around RMHS were inspected (See page 7 of document) after a heavy rain by the Maryland Department of Environment (MDE).  The inspection did not find crumb rubber in the system outfall, but noted that MDE would be back at a later date to inspect the "staging area" when the contractor "demobilizes" from the site.  The "staging area" is shown in the pictures below.  Apparently, MDE does not inspect "staging areas," even one's that are actively polluting a watershed.

Sand delivery for new artificial turf field.

Crumb rubber tire tracks are still seen
all over the RMHS property.

See Parade of Pollution posts documenting the pollution to our stormwater and environment from the removal of this one artificial turf football field at this link.

2018 August 8 MCPS Jack R. Smith by Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland on Scribd

Parade of Pollution: July 30, 2018, Smith and Zuckerman Do Not Want to Discuss What Happened to Used Plastic Grass and Crumb Rubber #ArtificialTurfPrivilege

Part 8:

At the July 30, 2018, Montgomery County Board of Education meeting Superintendent Jack R. Smith had MCPS Chief Operating Officer Andrew Zuckerman read a prepared statement about the removal of the artificial turf at Richard Montgomery High School.  In the statement, Superintendent Smith called the discussion around the removal of the artificial turf a "distraction from core mission."

The statement read in part:

...It is unfortunate that there is a small group of individuals attempting to mislead and misinform our community about this issue. This behavior distracts from our core mission of teaching and learning. I am particularly troubled by the fact that in this case we are fielding questions about a paintball facility’s reuse of artificial turf in White Marsh, Maryland when here in Montgomery County locally we are focused on creating opportunities for all students to learn and achieve at high levels...

Unbeknownst to Superintendent Smith and MCPS COO Andrew Zuckerman an individual had traveled to the White Marsh, MD location that Smith and Zuckerman were claiming was an artificial turf recycling facilty.  That person posted their pictures of what they found to Facebook and Twitter.

Does this look like a "storage facility" to you?  Does it look like anything other than a paint ball field with used artificial turf and crumb rubber dumped all over it?

From Twitter: 

My hope is that MCPS does better the next time they dispose of artificial turf and infill. Does this seem like environmentally responsible move? pic.twitter.com/s4lZKzXTVg

— susan loftus (@SooznLoft) August 1, 2018

See Parade of Pollution posts documenting the pollution to our stormwater and environment from the removal of this one artificial turf football field at this link.

Parade of Pollution: July 29, 2018 - Another Dumpster, Storm Drain with Crumb Rubber #ArtificialTurfPrivilege

Part 7:

These pictures were taken on July 29, 2018, and document that tons of plastic grass and crumb rubber were still on site at Richard Montgomery High School 8 days after the MCPS Chief Operating Officer wrote that the field had been removed.  

Each dumpster holds approximately 4 tons of material, so here is another 4 tons of plastic grass and crumb rubber that were not loaded on a "flatbed trailer for transport" as Superintendent Jack R. Smith wrote in his August 8th memorandum to the Board of Education. This is the 3rd dumpster full of plastic grass and crumb rubber that we photographed on site.

These pictures also show that on July 29th loose crumb rubber was still on the ground at RMHS and was not being contained or prevented from entering the Cabin John Watershed.  Crumb rubber was leaking from the dumpster and entering the storm drain.  The filters that MCPS attempted to use were not effective. 

See Parade of Pollution posts documenting the pollution to our stormwater and environment from the removal of this one artificial turf football field at this link.

Parade of Pollution: July 26, 2018, INSIDE THE DUMPSTER #ArtificialTurfPrivilege

Part 6: 

These pictures were also taken on July 26, 2018, and document the removal of the football field of plastic grass and 120 tons of crumb rubber from Richard Montgomery High School.
These pictures show the rolls of artificial turf and crumb rubber that were left behind at RMHS after the tractor trailer load was taken away.

These pictures also show INSIDE one of the dumpsters at Richard Montgomery High School.  Inside the dumpster is loose crumb rubber, hay, plastic bottles, and wads of plastic grass.  Contrast this picture with what Superintendent Jack R. Smith told the Board of Education about the removal of the artificial turf field in his August 8th memo.

Superintendent Smith memo to Board of Education August 8, 2018.

The picture below clearly shows hay, plastic bottles, loose crumb rubber and plastic grass randomly tossed in a dumpster.  The contents of this dumpster were not rolled up and were not going to be reused or repurposed.  This dumpster was on its way to a landfill in Brunswick, Virginia.

The picture below, also taken on July 26th, 8 days after MCPS said the field had been removed shows crumb rubber clogging a storm drain. 

On July 26th, rolls of artificial turf with crumb rubber spillling out are still at Richard Montgomery High School.

See Parade of Pollution posts documenting the pollution to our stormwater and environment from the removal of this one artificial turf football field at this link.

Parade of Pollution: July 21, 2018. Letter from MCPS COO and 5.39 Inches of Rain #ArtificialTurfPrivilege

Part 5:

Then the rain came.  
On July 21, 2018, Rockville received 5.39 inches of rain in one day. That same day, MCPS Chief Operating Officer Andrew Zuckerman sent out a letter to the public.  

July 21, 2018Dear MCPS Community,This week, contractors began work to replace the artificial turf field at Richard Montgomery High School.  The existing artificial turf material has been removed and sent for recycling.  The entire system, including turf fibers and infill, will be repurposed as a continuation of the overall lifecycle of the materials.In addition, any remaining debris left over from the removal of the turf field will be cleared.  We have taken steps to mitigate the impact of the field removal process on the surrounding environment.  In addition to sweeping up debris, the storm water management system under the surface at Richard Montgomery High School is designed to contain debris within the system to allow for thorough, periodic cleaning.  Other preventative measures, such as the use of mesh screening over turf materials waiting to be hauled away, are also in place.  Contractors and MCPS staff are working diligently to remove the artificial turf in a safe and efficient manner and look forward to installing the new organic infill field shortly. Andrew ZuckermanChief Operating OfficerMontgomery County Public Schools 

  

The pictures below were taken on July 24, 2018 at Richard Montgomery High School and contradict the statements made by the MCPS COO.  

• The existing artificial turf and crumb rubber had not all been removed by July 21st.
• Mesh screening is not in use over the artificial turf left on site.
• Crumb rubber can be seen clogging up a storm drain, leaking out of a dumpster and spilling out of rolls of used artificial turf. 
• Crumb rubber can be seen floating in puddles of water on the grass.
• The removal of the used artificial turf and 120 tons of crumb rubber was far from over 3 days after the letter from the MCPS COO on July 21st.

  

 

See Parade of Pollution posts documenting the pollution to our stormwater and environment from the removal of this one artificial turf football field at this link.

Superintendent Smith says: What Happens to Removed Plastic Grass is "beyond the control of MCPS." #artificialturf #pollution

July 18th RMHS: Unprotected storm drain clogged
 with crumb rubber and water.

Superintendent Jack R. Smith wrote a memorandum to the Board of Education on August 8, 2018, disputing what is clearly shown in photographs from Richard Montgomery High School in our series of photographs over multiple days.  See Parade of Pollution posts.

As our pictures show, some of the rolls of plastic grass and crumb rubber left the RMHS site on the back of an uncovered tractor trailer on a bright sunny day.  Superintendent Jack Smith's excuse for why the tractor trailer left RMHS uncovered with crumb rubber spilling out into the road does not correspond with reality.

Over multiple days, crumb rubber was observed blanketing the RMHS site with no attempt of any sort to stop the crumb rubber from going into the storm drains.  One of our pictures shows a large pool of water filled with crumb rubber around an unprotected storm drain.

Superintendent Smith refers to a company by the name of TurfCycle, but does not address the fact that such a company is not licensed to do business in Maryland and does not exist anywhere on the Internet.  Superintendent Smith contracted with this company and that begs the question, on what basis does MCPS evaluate the existence and licensing of its contractors?

Superintendent Smith does not explain what happened to the 35+ rolls of plastic grass and crumb rubber that were not removed from RMHS by TurfCycle.  Where did those 12+ tons of plastic and ground up tires go?

Finally, Superintendent Smith cites a funding source for the replacement of the RMHS artificial turf football field that does not exist.  The Artificial Turf Program Fund was appropriated by the Montgomery County Council to pay for the installation of new artificial turf fields at high schools that did not have an artificial turf field.  The Fund was not created to pay for the replacement of artificial turf fields.

   2018 August 8 MCPS Jack R. Smith by Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland on Scribd

Parade of Pollution: July 19 , 2018 - At least 34 Rolls of Artificial Turf and Crumb Rubber Not Taken to White Marsh "Storage Facility" #ArtificialTurfPrivilege #HansRiemer #MCPS

Part 4:
These pictures were also taken on July 19, 2018, and document the removal of the football field of plastic grass and 120 tons of crumb rubber from Richard Montgomery High School.

These pictures show the rolls of articicial turf carpet and crumb rubber that were left behind at RMHS after the tractor trailer load was taken away.

Remember that the "field" was shipped to White Marsh, Maryland on July 18th according to the TurfCycle USA letter distributed by County Council President Hans Riemer.  These pictures were taken after the "field" was sent to White Marsh.  It would appear that these are the rolls of artificial turf and crumb rubber that ended up in dumpsters and shipped off to the Brunswick, VA landfill.

These pictures document at least 34 rolls of artificial turf filled with crumb rubber that were not taken to the White Marsh, MD "storage facility."

See Parade of Pollution posts documenting the pollution to our stormwater and environment from the removal of this one artificial turf football field at this link.

16 rolls of artificial turf at far end of field

18+ rolls of artificial turf a near end  (concession)

Parade of Pollution: July 17, 2018 - Richard Montgomery High School Artificial Turf and Crumb Rubber Removal #ArtificialTurfPrivilege

Part 3:
These pictures were taken on July 17, 2018, and document the removal of the football field of plastic grass and 120 tons of crumb rubber from Richard Montgomery High School (RMHS).  

We have now gone back to the day before our first pictures were taken at RMHS on July 18th to show the pictures taken and posted by @RMRockets_AD on Twitter.  That account is listed as being the RMHS Athletic Director.  

The first picture below is important because it shows the plastic grass being rolled up with the crumb rubber still on the field.  That is not how an artificial turf field is recycled.  If an artificial turf field is actually going to be recycled the plastic grass and infill are segregated on site. Clearly, the components of the RMHS field were not going to be recycled.  

The black on the ground is the 120 tons of crumb rubber (ground up used tires) on the field.  This is what students at RMHS were playing on before the field was removed. 

See Parade of Pollution posts documenting the pollution to our stormwater and environment from the removal of this one artificial turf football field at this link.

Picture shows crumb rubber being rolled up with the plastic grass.