A square sample of AstroTurf® artificial grass from Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The stadium hosted the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1971 to 2003 and the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL) from 1971 to 2002.

AstroTurf, as well as other brands of artificial grass, have been identified as containing PFAS, or per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances. PFAS are colloquially referred to as "forever chemicals" due to their inability to break down in the environment or in our bodies. PFAS have been linked to numerous negative health effects including cancers, thyroid disease, liver damage, and decreased fertility.

In the years following the demolition of Veterans Stadium, six former Phillies players developed glioblastoma and passed away due to this rare form of brain cancer. Despite a lack of evidence, speculation that the chemicals in the stadium's artificial field led to the cancer cluster persists among fans and scientists alike.