California Group Critical of Artificial Turf

Trenton, NJ, June 24, 2008--California's Center for Environmental Health is warning that there are unacceptable levels of lead in some artificial turf products that could be dangerous to children.

The warning comes after New Jersey officials found unacceptably high lead levels in some synthetic surfaces and federal authorities recommended lead testing on older sports fields.

It expands the list of potentially dangerous turf products beyond the worn, sun-exposed sports fields identified as potential hazards in tests by the New Jersey Health Department.

The tests in California, conducted by an independent lab, showed excessive lead in indoor/outdoor carpeting, artificial lawns and playground grass made with nylon and polyethylene, said a spokesman for the California group.

A subsequent test reportedly showed lead could be wiped off turf with a cloth or a child's hand.

Testing in New Jersey reportedly found high lead levels in nylon and nylon-blend fields, and only in fields that had endured a lot of wear. The lead found at three New Jersey turf fields could be absorbed by humans, a follow-up test showed, but the state epidemiologist said the lead levels were not high enough to cause poisoning to people who play on the fields.

The spokesman said the California center has begun notifying 15 turf manufacturers and retailers of its intent to sue under California's Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act unless the companies agree to recall the products or reformulate artificial turf so it contains less lead.

Names on the list include some of the country's largest retailers, like Ace Hardware and Lowe's, and some of the best-known turf manufacturers, like AstroTurf.

However, Davis Lee, a Georgia Tech professor and consultant to turf manufacturers, said he was skeptical about the latest results and that his testing shows nothing to be concerned about.

Earlier this month, AstroTurf issued a statement saying additional tests by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services confirmed the safety of synthetic turf fields.

The government has no standard for how much lead is allowable in artificial turf. The California tests compared lead levels found in turf samples with the standard for paint, while the New Jersey tests relied on the maximum amount of lead allowed in soil of contaminated sites that are being redeveloped into homes.