NBC News revisits synthetic rubber turf debate

WASHINGTON (Oct. 1, 2015) — NBC News aired a follow-up report Sept. 30 on its 2014 investigation into the safety of crumb rubber synthetic turf.

The report, which is scheduled to continue Oct. 1 on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, is titled, “Fields of Danger? Are Our Kids Safe?" It questions the inaction of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in pursuing studies on the possible health effects of synthetic turf on young soccer players.

As with its report last year, NBC News focuses on University of Washington women's soccer coach Amy Griffin. According to that story, Ms. Griffin had uncovered 38 cancer victims — 34 of them goalkeepers — who played on synthetic turf and had developed various forms of cancer.

NBC's latest story states that many people had contacted Ms. Griffin after the original report, and that her count of cancer victims among soccer goalies had grown to at least 63.

The new story shows EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy declining comment when NBC reporters ask her about the safety of synthetic turf. It also shows a California state senator who sponsored legislation to curtail the use of synthetic turf calling for federal research, and a synthetic turf manufacturing executive calling for the same thing.

Existing studies on the safety of synthetic turf show no causal link between synthetic turf and cancer or other diseases, the report said, but added that the authors of those studies say further research is needed.

The network's report mentions the three-year, $2.86 million study commissioned by California's Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) from the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) to expand the study of potential human health effects associated with the use of recycled scrap tires in playground surfacing and synthetic turf.

Begun in June 2015, the study will culminate in a report to CalRecycle summarizing the data and evaluating potential health hazards, according to an OEHHA press release.

The Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) is one of the many organizations that defend the safety of synthetic turf. Dan Zielinski, RMA senior vice president, public affairs, noted NBC News acknowledges that current studies show synthetic turf to be safe.

The RMA also supports the OEHHA study and other further research into synthetic turf, Mr. Zielinski told Tire Business. “We are not opposed to any significant studies on this issue,” he added.