An Assessment of Health & Environmental Issues

Related to Synthetic Turf and Infill Material

Recent concerns have surfaced addressing artificial turf fields and the problems relating to environmental issues as well as the health ramifications and effects on the individuals participating in sports programs on those fields. The purpose of this paper is to identify as succinctly as possible, problem areas, the effects on the individual as well as on the environment, and to define a solution set to these concerns. The primary problem areas boil down to five issues:

• lead content in turf fibers –
• PAH and toxic metals contained in recycled rubber infill –
• hosting of infectious disease in turf infill –
• recyclability or disposal of field materials – and,  
• contaminated runoff of microbial decomposed rubber infill.

Lead content in synthetic turf fibers

PROBLEM - Although it has long been suspected that there may be some issues with recycled rubber infill, testing has been sparse and certainly inconclusive. Recently however, two Astroturf fields utilizing nylon fibers in the construction of the turf were tested and it was determined that the levels of lead present were above acceptable levels. These fields have been closed and the synthetic turf is being replaced with the preferred and currently used polyethylene fibers.

SOLUTION – Purchasers of synthetic turf fields must require yarn test results for harmful heavy metal content for the yarns being used by the synthetic turf manufacturers. While it is acknowledged that there is some level of lead content in many things that touch us daily, under federal mandate, the levels of heavy metals in most of the yarns being used today (nb: but NOT all) are well below the EPA levels of acceptability and hence have no cause for alarm. To ensure compliance with EPA standards, All American Turf Co. is using Bonar Yarns in the production of its ECOGreen66 ™ turf. These yarns are far below the lead free test level required by the EPA.

PAHs and Toxic Metals contained in recycled rubber infill

PROBLEM - A joint study conducted last year at the City College of New York and Rutgers University found the rubber infill in a Field Turf field in Manhattan’s Riverside Park contained levels of 6 PAH’s (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) to be well above (up to 8 times) the levels of concentration allowed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Because this level of concentration is considered hazardous to public health, the DEC requires the removal of these substances from contaminated soils (in this case the infill in the turf). Further, Weston Public Health Director Wendy Diotalevi has indicated in an April 26, 2008 article that synthetic turf fields can get very hot and start “off-gassing” at 140 degrees. At this temperature level chemicals are released into the air and hence can be inhaled.

SOLUTION - Replace the infill with a polyorganic all-natural, environmentally friendly, compound which contains NO synthetics and, therefore contains no PAHs, butylated hydroxyanisole or any other known carcinogens. Neither does it contain any of the chemicals of recycled tire rubber which are currently suspected to cause reproductive or developmental toxicity. All American Turf Co. recommends only the use of Organite™ - an Anti-microbial Infill which eliminates all the problems manifested by recycled ground rubber infill.

Infills hosting infectious disease

PROBLEM - U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention indicated that 276 football players were infected from 2003 through 2006. David Smith, a co-author of a study on MSRA-related hospitalizations said that football players are often misdiagnosed with the cause of infection at the site of a turf burn. Whether these statistics are valid or not, indoor facilities have a number of differences that will profoundly change the results.

SOLUTION - Fields inside enclosures can be sanitized easily with a mixture of 1 part bleach to 3 parts water and sprayed on a periodic basis. Indoor fields do not experience the rainwater or overnight dew that an outdoor field will support and retain. The fields that All American Turf Co. has built do not expose the infill to surface level play. These factors combined show that indoor fields simply do not host the moisture level, or the infill exposure level that do outdoor fields. In addition, All American Turf Co. is now using the anti-microbial Organite(tm) as the infill which completely eliminates the possibility of contracting MRSA related infections from the playing field.

Recyclability or disposal of field materials

PROBLEM - In the states of California and Connecticut, it has become an issue of disposal of the spent materials that has alarmed those concerned with recycling. The urethane backing used by some turf producers is not viewed as a material that will be a viable candidate for any landfill, so these states have decided to simply ship the replaced turf out of state and outlaw the further use of the materials.

SOLUTION - All American Turf Co. uses only fully recyclable materials and will have no issues with continued installations in any state, regardless of recycling concerns.

Runoff of microbial decomposed rubber infill

PROBLEM - It is an accepted scientific fact that any organic product is broken down by microbes and rubber, like any other non-permanent substance, is no different. The occurrence of this breakdown is also exacerbated by heat.

SOLUTION - As explained in sections above, indoor facilities do not experience the conditions conducive to hosting bacteria that will cause disease, nor does it experience the surface temperatures that will promote accelerated decomposition of the rubber infill. Most indoor arenas also do not make accommodation for the expelling of runoff as, unless the field is flooded or washed, there is no runoff to be had. For those owners of facilities that are savvy enough to install under drain fields with indoor turf fields, the same reasons apply that leave the resulting drain water clean of contamination.

Conclusion

The concern over these issues is legitimate and must be addressed, whether the field in question is indoor or outdoor. Granted indoor fields do not experience the same external conditions that open fields do, but they are characterized by the increased use common to an area not affected by rainouts, seasonal conditions, or daylight hours. Collectively, these concerns are better targeted to the outdoor facility, but even at those venues, the construction of the field must be considered. There are those in the synthetic turf industry indicating that the athlete is intended to be exposed to the infill and in fact the infill is the playing surface. This seems to be a causal affect that results in higher surface temperatures, greater hosting of microbial bacteria, greater degree of carcinogenic runoff and gas-off, not to mention surface wear, infill migration, and improper surface resistance on joint mobility.

Action Item

In order to address the legitimate concerns of those being affected, All American Turf Co. has been working with leaders in the industry to bring to the market, the only virtually permanently coated Anti-Microbial Infill (AMI) called Organite™. This product, made by FieldShield, is an infill material that addresses the above mentioned issues on a number of levels.

1. It is a substance that kills microbes on a molecular level.
2. It is tan in color and, where the design of the field intends the infill never to be exposed, should it be affected by the sun, it’s color will not experience temperatures that would a black rubber infilled field.
3. It maintains a G-Max rating well within the acceptable range of ground impact tests and below that of sand and rubber combined systems.

With this addition to the All American Turf Co. product line, our fields remain the healthiest, most environmentally friendly, most affordable, and best playing fields in the synthetic turf industry.

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