Tire Crumb Updates

Back in 2016 US Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn) called on the Obama Administration for a federal study to assess health risks of artificial turf and rubber mulch in athletic fields/playgrounds “to determine once and for all whether these surfaces are safe.”

Then a federal “action plan” was announced to address concerns about the safety of playing surfaces in the US (CSN, Feb 2016).

Almost four years later an 800+ page report, Part 1 of 2, was released by two federal agencies (CSN, Sept 2019). EPA told KTNV 13 Action News there would be no assessment of the risks associated with playing on synthetic turf fields with recycled tire crumb rubber infill in either part of the synthetic turf field study. EPA added, “the anticipated release date for Part 2 is not known at this time” and “CPSC will continue work on playgrounds by conducting a risk assessment of children’s exposure to playground surfaces made of tire rubber using Part 1 and Part 2 data.” EPA did not mention athletic fields risk assessments.

Meanwhile, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, a watchdog group, and Ecology Center, a Michigan nonprofit, filed a complaint about the federal study because EPA declined to test the surface and backing of old-style artificial turf, the kind installed in the Houston Astrodome in 1966, and still used at thousands of sports fields.

Tests by EC found a marker in turf surface that indicates potentially dangerous so-called “forever chemicals” PFAS, short for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl. EC also found two types of PFAS in the backing of artificial turf. Shaw Industries’ Shaw Sports Turf said PFAS “chemicals are commonly used by synthetic turf manufacturers as a non-stick agent.”

CNN reports “a growing body of science has found that there are potential adverse health impacts associated with PFAS exposure, including liver damage, thyroid disease, decreased fertility, high cholesterol, obesity, hormone suppression and cancer.”

Bob Conroy