Rubber Turf Field in NYC Closed Due to High Levels of Lead

An artificial rubber turf field at Thomas Jefferson Park in New York City was closed last week after tests found high lead levels, which could pose a potential health hazard to children playing on the surface.

The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation closed the soccer field in East Harlem on December 24, 2008, which is one of about 98 public fields in the City to use an artificial grass turf containing pulverized tires, known as crumb-rubber infill.

According to the New York Times, the field, which was installed in 2003, was found to have lead levels in excess of the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s limit of 400 parts per million for lead in playground soil.

Parks Department officials maintain that the rubber turf fields do not pose a safety risk, but they have closed the field as a precaution and indicate that crumb-rubber infill fields will no longer be installed.

Of the approximately 98 fields in New York City that use the rubber turf, 15 other fields have been tested and currently show no signs of high lead levels.

The use of artificial turf fields in public parks, schools and playgrounds has raised concerns among health and environmental experts in recent years, as many of the fields are aging and could begin releasing dangerous levels of harmful chemicals.

Synthetic rubber turf fields have been installed in public locations throughout the United States, as they are cheaper than maintaining a natural grass field, due to the minimal maintenance required. However, some experts have indicated that the artificial grass can disintegrate over time, potentially resulting in the release of dust contaminated with lead.

This poses a potential risk of lead poisoning for children who play on or around the fields. If enough of the dust is absorbed through the skin, transferred from the hands to the mouth, or ingested through water bottles or food placed on the field, it could lead to elevated lead blood levels and possible brain injury.

In July 2008, the Oakland-based Center for Environmental Health, a California environmental watchdog, filed a lawsuit against the makers of artificial rubber turf fields after tests on more than 50 samples of artificial turf from various fields found that one-third contained lead levels in excess of the State’s upper limit of 0.5 micrograms per day of lead exposure.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has taken the position that artificial grass lead levels are safe. In a report issued in August 2008, the CPSC indicated that the amount of lead present in playing fields was not high enough to cause concerns about lead poisoning for children.

In September 2008, an artificial grass lawsuit was filed in Alameda County Superior Court by the California Attorney General against AstroTurf, FieldTurf USA Inc. and the Beaulieu Group, all top artificial turf makers. They were accused of deliberately concealing the fact that their products contained lead in excess of the limit specified in California’s Proposition 65, an environmental law.