Study Says Artificial Turf’s Rubber Infill Safe

Montreal, Quebec, August 31, 2007--The results of a long-term study finds that the rubber granules used in the construction of artificial turf fields pose no threat to the environment.

ALIAPUR, the French government body responsible for used tires, along with ADEME, the French Agency for Environment and Energy Management, have completed a scientific study aimed at evaluating environmental impact from the rubber granules in sports fields that contain rubber from old car tires.

The studies show no cause for concern to human health, said FieldTurf Tarkett, a maker of artificial grass.

The main goal of the study, Tarkett said, was to determine the quality of water transferred into the natural environment after passing through the rubber granules and other infill materials from the artificial grass sports fields. In addition, the study obtained a detailed analysis and evaluation of the gas emissions generated by these fields.

"The results come to the dismay of certain individuals in the natural grass industry," said FieldTurf Tarkett CEO David Moszkowski. "

"The natural grass industry, with over $40 billion in annual sales of herbicides, pesticides, sod and seed, has been running a very organized attack against artificial grass to prevent the erosion of their market share. They have been feeding false and misleading information to local communities, environmental groups and media sources in an attempt to scare people with phony claims of danger from the rubber granules from used tires."