CDC Calls for Testing of Artificial Turf Fields

Atlanta, GA, June 25, 2008--The Centers for Disease Control has recommended that some artificial turf athletic fields made from nylon should be tested for lead.

The recommendation comes after New Jersey health officials unexpectedly found lead in three athletic fields made of artificial turf while investigating another field for runoff from a scrap-metal operation in Newark . Testing of the turf revealed that the lead found in the artificial turf can be harmful to humans.

The CDC said that fields containing old, worn, or faded turf blades that are made from nylon of from fibers that contain a nylon-blend should be tested. Fields that have visible dust should also be tested because fibers and dust from the turf can become airborne from wear and weathering, which could then be inhaled or swallowed by anyone using the field.

CDC said the lead levels are not high enough to poison people who use these fields, but the lead can cause damage to children who have already been exposed to lead.

The New Jersey test found that only fields made from worn nylon or nylon-blended fibers were potentially hazardous and that turf fields made from polyethylene or newer nylon fields did not need to be tested.

The Oakland-based Center for Environmental Health tested artificial turf from different hardware stores and carpet retailers and found that one third of the samples made with nylon had high levels of lead that exceeded that limit of 0.5 micrograms per day of lead exposure. Tests of artificial turf fields made with only polyethylene fibers showed that these fields contained very low levels of lead.

The lead chromate in these turf fields is used to keep the fake grass green and from fading in the sunlight. The artificial turf industry is saying that their products are safe because the lead used in the turf is encapsulated and can’t escape from the blades.

The Center for Environmental Health has filed a legal action against the state of California because the environmental group wants 15 retailers and manufacturers to stop selling and producing the artificial turf that contains the lead chromate. The center also wants all the products containing lead to be recalled and for a warning to be issued.