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Synthetic Turf

EHHI recommends a moratorium on installing new synthetic fields until testing has been completed

Press Release

[North Haven, Connecticut, July 11, 2007] Environment and Human Health, Inc. (EHHI) has been concerned about the number of communities and schools that have, or are in the process of, installing very expensive synthetic fields without any testing of their out-gasing potential or without understanding what the health effects from these fields might be.
The new synthetic fields are made of a synthetic grasslike material to which large amounts of ground up rubber tires are added -- as in-fill. It is the out-gassing from these ground up rubber tire pellets that have been of the greatest concern.

Because of this concern EHHI has asked and paid the CT Agricultural Experiment Station's chemical laboratory to test the out-gasing potential of these rubber tire pellets that go into the fields.

The preliminary report came out today and the CT Agricultural Experiment Station's preliminary testings show that volatile organic compounds are out-gasing from the rubber pellets and that this out-gassing increases as the temperature rises.

As well,  the CT Agricultural Experiment Station has completed a scientific literature review of synthetic fields and the materials that they are made from.   The results of the preliminary testing as well as the literature review demands that additional testing be done on these ground up rubber tire pellets in order to be protective of children's health.

EHHI's Public Health Toxicologist, David Brown, Sc.D. is concerned that some of these organic compounds could effect children's respiratory health as well as having other health effects.

Because of these preliminary findings and until additional testing is completed,  EHHI is recommending that no additional synthetic fields be installed until the additional testing is completed. Synthetic fields are extremely expensive and can cost up to $750,000.  Once these expensive fields are installed. towns and schools will probably not want to remove them no matter what is found.

Synthetic Turf

• Synthetic Turf Home
• Press Release: EHHI Releases Original Research Report - Exposures to Recycled Tire Crumbs used on Synthetic Turf Fields, Playgrounds and as Gardening Mulch
• EHHI's Comments on Synthetic Turf
• Press Release: Moratorium on new synthetic fields recommended until testing has been completed.

Report

Exposures to Recycled Tire Crumbs used on Synthetic Turf Fields, Playgrounds and as Gardening Mulch

News & Links

• Study Finds Volatile Organics In Turf Fields
• Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station's Examination of Crumb Rubber Produced from Recycled Tires
• Swedish Chemicals Agency recommends not using rubber tire crumbs in synthetic fields