… As school districts look to resurface their athletic fields and cities consider how to update public parks, local leaders must decide what kind of play surface to install. And, the two options — natural grass or artificial turf — are sharply dividing Bay Area residents. Turf, which is made from thousands of synthetic fibers and crumb plastic infills, is quickly becoming America’s go-to field material for its ability to provide a smoother, year-round surface at a lower maintenance cost than grass. … However, there is strong resistance to the material too, from those who point out that turf infills contain PFAS or “forever chemicals,” which break down slowly and can cause serious environmental harm and adverse health effects, including cancer.