SAHUARITA, Ariz. (KGUN) — Ten sports fields across three parks in Sahuarita have been closed indefinitely after hazardous materials, including glass, nails, and plastic, were discovered embedded in the turf. The town of Sahuarita is working with the compost manufacturer responsible for the materials to address the situation.
As KGUN 9 continues to take our newscast on the road this month, Heidi Alagha and Green Valley/Sahuarita reporter Joel Foster will be live Tuesday night at 5 & 6 to bring you this story and more neighborhood news.
The issue came to light when a concerned resident brought a handful of glass fragments to the Parks and Recreation Department. Further investigation revealed that the materials originated from a shipment of compost applied during the overseeding process at Anamax Park, North Santa Cruz Park, and Quail Creek Veterans Municipal Park.
“It got through any kind of quality control check they have,” said Devin Stalder, Sahuarita’s Parks and Recreation Director. “We did a surface check of the material, but a lot of the contaminants were difficult to detect initially.”
Despite initial cleanup efforts, sports leagues reported that cleats were uncovering additional debris. The town halted play and intensified cleanup operations. Crews are now using specialized equipment, including magnets and street sweepers, to remove the dangerous materials.
Dylan Pruitt, Parks and Facilities Manager, expressed confidence in the resolution process. “We’re in the process of testing new methods to ensure the fields are thoroughly cleaned. The town will be made whole through this process,” Pruitt stated.
The compost manufacturer has taken responsibility and is assisting in the cleanup.
It has notified the Town that they are currently investigating how the unsafe material made its way into the supplied compost as well as how the product passed their quality control checks.
Officials hope the fields will be safe for use within the next two weeks, though the timeline is subject to change. Once the cleanup is complete, the town and local sports leagues will conduct inspections to ensure safety before reopening.
For now, residents and sports organizations have shown support despite the disruptions. Stalder expressed gratitude for the community’s patience and understanding during this unexpected challenge.
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Joel Foster is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9 who previously worked as an English teacher in both Boston and the Tucson area. Joel has experience working with web, print and video in the tech, finance, nonprofit and the public sectors. In his off-time, you might catch Joel taking part in Tucson's local comedy scene. Share your story ideas with Joel at joel.foster@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
