The increased use of artificial turf fields for children’s sports is creating concern among parents and health professionals.  The fear of carcinogenic and toxic chemical contamination is currently being debated as more grass fields in our nation’s parks are being replaced by artificial turf.

Artificial turf fields provide tangible benefits because they contribute to reduced chemical and fertilizer use and require much less water than traditional grass fields.  However, “crumb rubber,” a controversial fill poured between the artificial blades of grass, is stirring up controversey.  Crumb rubber is composed of recycled ground-up tires.

According to reports, recycled tires contain carcinogenic toxins which are a cause of concern for the parents of children who play and sweat on these surfaces.  Recycled tires also contain metals and chemical toxins such as zinc, benzene and butadiene.  Elevated levels of lead, another threat to children on these surfaces,  was studied by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).  They concluded that the contamination did not rise to levels that would be harmful but they still called for voluntary standards to be instituted to eliminate the problem.  According to reports, heat on the playing surface is also an issue as temperatures as high as 140 degrees have been recorded.

Studies evaluating different aspects of potentially dangerous exposures to these reported harmful compounds have been commissioned and reviewed in areas across the country including Connecticut, New York City, San Francisco and Seattle.  The conclusions have reportedly not found demonstrably dangerous levels of the compounds.  However, Dr. Philip Landrigan, professor and Chairman of Community and Preventive Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, remains skeptical because he is not aware of any studies that measure the effects on children using fields that have crumb rubber.  According to Dr. Landrigan, "All those toxins are very available to kids, if kids are playing and running.   [A]ll this chemical soup is going to get on their skins and their fingers."