The increasing importance attached to scholastic sports programs has fueled demand for uniform, all-season sports fields, and many communities are considering the installation of artificial turf as a solution. But many artificial turf fields are constructed using up to ten tons of ground-up automobile tires as fill. This recycled rubber typically contains high levels of toxic substances which prohibit their disposal in landfills and oceans.

Recent studies conducted in Connecticut and New York have confirmed the presence of hazardous materials on existing fields. Chemical toxins identified included the metals arsenic, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, lead and zinc, the chemicals acetone, ethylbenzene, tetrachloroethene, toluene and xylene, and phthalates. High temperatures recorded at field level can significantly increase the volatility of some of these chemicals.

While advocates claim the fields are safe, the potential health effects of exposure to these chemicals – endocrine disruption, neurological impairment and cancer – can take years to manifest themselves. Without long-term field testing, no one is in a position to say the exposure is harmless, particularly for children.

And there are other problems: Cleaning synthetic turf can require harsh chemicals, and body fluid spills are particularly difficult to handle. Additional concerns about the eventual disposal of artificial fields, potential legal liability and the loss of environmentally beneficial natural turf (natural turf sequesters carbon dioxide and reduces global warming) has convinced many decision makers to reconsider plans for synthetic turf fields.

Instead, many schools and municipalities are choosing natural turf management techniques to eliminate the use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers and create lush, beautiful playing fields. Learn more.

If your school or community is considering the installation of artificial turf, we urge you to insist on one of the new generation of infill materials which are not made from scrap tires (see link below) or choose natural turf management instead. Professional turf managers who want to learn more about natural turf management may want to consider purchasing our DVD self-study program "Natural Turf Pro."

Science:

For more information on the scientific research currently being conducted on crumb rubber and its effects on human health, please visit Environment and Human Health (www.ehhi.org/turf/) or the University of Albany (www.albany.edu/ihe/emerging.htm.)

Resources:

Geo "Safe Play" is a new 100% environmentally friendly infill material imported from Italy. We understand the importer will soon be offering renovation/replacement services for older fields constructed with toxic crumb rubber infill.