California, Turf Firms, Reach Agreement on Lead

Sacramento, CA, July 19, 2010--Two companies that make and install artificial turf for playing fields reached a settlement with the state of California to reduce the amount of lead they use to make their products, Attorney General Jerry Brown said Friday.

The settlement with two of the largest artificial turf companies in the nation will reduce lead content to 50 parts per million from the products made by Field Turf USA and sold by Beaulieu LLC. The settlements, which follow a similar agreement last year with turf manufacturer AstroTurf LLC, are the result of a 2008 lawsuit.

The cases were filed after testing by Oakland-based Center for Environmental Health found lead levels in the companies' turf were more than 10 times higher than allowed under state and federal guidelines for children's products.

Artificial turf has become increasingly popular because it can reduce maintenance costs and be used year-round, regardless of the weather.

The issue, according to Brown, is that lead is added to the artificial grass to keep the color of the field vibrant. Brown said lab tests have found some artificial turf products with more than 5,000 parts per million of lead - 10 times the amount allowed in children's products under state and federal guidelines.

Under the terms of the settlement, the companies cannot make turf that contains more than 50 parts per million of lead. Beaulieu also agreed to pay for testing of products purchased in California after October 2004. FieldTurf - which began reducing the lead in its products in 2003 - agreed to replace turf fields installed before November 2003 at a discount if they test high for lead.

The three companies will pay a combined $667,500 in penalties and fees, according to the attorney general.

Related Topics:Beaulieu International Group