Newsday (Long Island, N.Y.), November 14, 2007

SYNTHETIC TURF RAISES SAFETY ISSUES

[Rachel's introduction: Replacing grass with synthetic turf on playing fields may harm the environment and human health, according to recent studies, so a precautionary approach is warranted, say Doug and Patti Wood of Grassroots Environmental Education in Port Washington, N.Y.]

By Doug and Patti Wood

[Doug and Patti Wood are principals of Grassroots Environmental Education, a nonprofit environmental health organization based in Port Washington, N.Y.]

The increasing popularity of high school competitive sports programs has brought with it an increased demand for playing fields that can withstand heavy practice and game schedules.

With future scholarships riding on the successful performance of student athletes, access to all-season, high-quality fields has become a priority for parents and coaches across Long Island.

So it's easy to understand why so many schools and municipalities are considering installation of synthetic turf fields. Although they can be expensive, they have the lure of being virtually indestructible and playable in inclement weather.

But what about environmental impact and health effects associated with synthetic turf? Though the plastic blades of grass aren't a problem, the ground-up tires that are used as infill to cushion these fields raise concerns. Tires contain many hazardous chemicals, including petrochemicals and heavy metals that are known to be harmful even in small amounts. Some of them cause cancer in humans and exacerbate asthmatic conditions; others have been implicated in the disruption of endocrine systems or the impairment of neurological function.

Questions about the safety of the crumb rubber infill in synthetic turf have begun to percolate through communities where fields have been installed or where they're being actively considered. As the debate over these fields goes forward, it's important to consider what we know and what we don't.

We know that young children and teenagers are more vulnerable to exposure to environmental toxins than adults because of their rapidly developing physiology. We also know that inhalation is a primary route of exposure, and that participants in sports activities are breathing in more air than bystanders. Accidental ingestion and skin absorption are also possible.

Studies conducted this summer in New York and Connecticut confirmed the presence of hazardous chemicals in the crumb rubber infill on synthetic fields. Numerous chemicals were detected, including arsenic, cadmium, lead, acetone and DEHP (a phthalate). Some measurements exceeded federal and state guidelines.

Putting aside health concerns associated with crumb rubber infill, there are other issues: unusual injuries and skin abrasions sustained by athletes, handling body-fluid spills and eventual disposal of worn- out fields. Cleaning synthetic turf requires harsh chemicals, and one manufacturer reportedly recommends use of perchloroethylene -- the dry- cleaning agent that's a common groundwater contaminant and human carcinogen. Even the loss of environmentally beneficial natural turf, which sequesters carbon dioxide, has been added to the debate.

What we don't know is precisely what effect these toxins will have on people. Environmental toxicologists are just beginning to discover the harmful effects of chronic, long-term exposure to chemical toxins, even at low levels. Blanket assurances of safety by manufacturers ignore this emerging science and raise the conflict-of-interest concerns that are inherent when companies that stand to make huge profits conduct research into their own products' safety.

To complicate matters, the health effects of exposure may not be apparent for many years, and tracing an illness diagnosed in adulthood back to exposures from elementary or high school would be virtually impossible.

Without independent testing, no one can say that the exposures from the chemicals contained in the crumb rubber infill are harmless. Most scientists agree that more research is required. Prudence suggests that until we know more, we should employ the Precautionary Principle - that in the face of possible harm, precautionary steps should be taken to limit exposure, even if scientific proof has not yet been established.

Assemb. Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) has done just this by introducing legislation to place a moratorium on the installation of new fields until a public health study can be completed.

And at a leadership summit today co-sponsored by Adelphi University and Grassroots Environmental Education, superintendents and school board members in Nassau County will learn about turf pesticides and the controversies surrounding synthetic turf.

It's worth noting that chemically maintained turf and synthetic turf are not the only, or even the best, options. Many turf professionals and several school districts on Long Island have been implementing natural turf programs, creating dense and resilient playing surfaces while at eliminating their use of toxic chemicals.

Although naturally maintained fields cannot be used year-round or in heavy rain like synthetic turf, they offer the complete assurance to parents that if their children are going to suffer because of their participation in sports programs, it will be from disappointment or sprained ankles, not from potentially toxic exposure.

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