Newport Beach to eliminate synthetic herbicides on athletic fields

The Newport Beach City Council has approved the Athletic Field Sod Management Program, which will eliminate the use of synthetic herbicides across the city’s 17 athletic fields. The decision follows growing concerns regarding a cluster of rare childhood cancer cases in the nearby community of Ladera Ranch, where at least six cases of Ewing sarcoma have been reported among children and teens since 2013.

Under the new program, the city will manage approximately 1.9 million square feet of turf using organic treatments, mechanical weed removal, and a regular turf-replacement strategy. Fields will be stripped, leveled, and covered with new sod every three to five years. This transition is expected to increase annual costs by an estimated $51,000 to $102,000, representing a 5% to 10% budget increase for the program.