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.
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Learn MoreParks 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.
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3 Comments
Safety of Rubber Playground Surfaces from Recycled Tires Reviewed by EPA - AboutLawsuits.comJune 5, 2009 at 4:53 pm
[...] Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is investigating whether rubber playground surfaces made from recycled tires may release harmful chemicals that could pose a health hazard for young [...]
StacyDecember 31, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Parents and public health officials take note: Despite vague assurances from the tire, turf, and waste-management agencies, crumb rubber has been implicated in a variety health concerns, most notably the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with carcinogenic potential. No tire waste of any kind should be "recycled," and certainly not anywhere where kids play. For more information on crum[Show More]Parents and public health officials take note: Despite vague assurances from the tire, turf, and waste-management agencies, crumb rubber has been implicated in a variety health concerns, most notably the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with carcinogenic potential. No tire waste of any kind should be "recycled," and certainly not anywhere where kids play. For more information on crumb rubber toxicity, please see www.ehhi.org. This objective, scientific, nonprofit lists benzothiazole, butylated hydroxyanisole (a recognized carcinogen, suspected endocrine toxicant toxicant, gastrointestinal toxicant, immunotoxicant, neurotoxicant, skin and sense-organ toxicant), n-hexadecane, and 4-(t-octyl) phenol as agents of concern, along with zinc -- the predominant metal -- and selenium and cadmium and...lead.
Terry LeveilleDecember 30, 2008 at 7:53 pm
There needs to be a distinction between tire crumb rubber--which has not been implicated in lead emissions--and the plastic synthetic turf that has. Old plastic turf has been sometimes shown to have high lead levels due to the colorizing agent. That supposedly has been eliminated in new synthetic turf fields. Crumb rubber, on the other hand, was thought to produce possibly hazardous emissions w[Show More]There needs to be a distinction between tire crumb rubber--which has not been implicated in lead emissions--and the plastic synthetic turf that has. Old plastic turf has been sometimes shown to have high lead levels due to the colorizing agent. That supposedly has been eliminated in new synthetic turf fields. Crumb rubber, on the other hand, was thought to produce possibly hazardous emissions when heated. Thus far, no studies have shown this to be true. Several are currently being conducted and should be available for review in the next few months. No one has accused tire crumb rubber of discharging lead. Terry Leveille Publisher, California Tire Report