Because children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to chemical exposures and also are the predominant users of athletic fields across the country, the need for further study of artificial athletic turf is crucial, he said. He asked ASTDR for a study of whether crumb rubber exposure increases the risk of blood cancers.
Artificial athletic turf has been the periodic focus of controversy for several years, mostly from environmental and citizens' groups concerned that volatile organic compounds and heavy metals can leach from tire crumb into soil or water, causing health risks.
Those groups, as well as tire industry organizations and government agencies, have conducted studies trying to determine if crumb rubber in athletic turf presents any health risks.
The most recent major study of crumb rubber athletic turf, released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in December 2009, found levels of hazardous substances at four athletic turf sites in North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio and Maryland to be too low to cause harm to humans.
However, the EPA also said the study was too limited to reach any comprehensive conclusions about the health risks of artificial turf.
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The recycled rubber industry has consistently defended crumb rubber athletic turf as safe.
“There is a considerable body of research on artificial turf, and it reveals no cumulative risk,” Dan Zielinski, vice president of public affairs for the Rubber Manufacturers Association, told Tire Business.
The Synthetic Turf Council issued a statement after the airing of the NBC News story.
“During the past two decades, there have been more than 60 technical studies and reports that review the health effects of crumb rubber,” the STC said. “The preponderance of evidence show no negative health effects associated with crumb rubber in synthetic turf.”
