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Characterization of Exposure Potential during Activities on Synthetic Turf Fields with Recycled Tire Crumb Rubber Infill (ISES-ISEE 2018)
Citation:
Ragin-Wilson, A., E. Irvin-Barnwell, K. Thomas, K. Benson, AND Z. Li. Characterization of Exposure Potential during Activities on Synthetic Turf Fields with Recycled Tire Crumb Rubber Infill (ISES-ISEE 2018). ISES-ISEE 2018 Joint Annual Meeting, Ottawa, CANADA, August 26 - 30, 2018.
Impact/Purpose:
Tire crumb rubber from recycled tires is widely used as infill material in the 12,000+ synthetic turf fields in the United States. Tire crumb rubber is a complex material, with many potential chemical substances, presenting challenges for assessing human exposures. As part of U.S. Federal Research Action Plan on Recycled Tire Crumb Used on Playing Fields a pilot-scale observational exposure characterization study was performed aimed at collecting information on how people might be exposed to chemicals in crumb rubber infill while playing on synthetic turf fields. The research is designed to improve our understanding and knowledge for assessing synthetic field user exposures. The Federal Research will be of interest to synthetic turf field users, communities and schools, and industry stakeholders. This presentation will provide an overview of the Federal Research to an international audience.
Description:
Recently, concerns have been raised by the public about the use of recycled tire crumb rubber infill at synthetic turf fields in the United States. While the majority of studies identified numerous chemical compounds within the crumb rubber, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), and metals, the measured concentrations were generally low, with the exception of zinc. To date, the studies have not shown elevated health risks from use of and contact with synthetic turf. However, the studies are limited and do not comprehensively address the concerns about the potential health risks associated with exposure to chemicals in the crumb rubber infill. To help address concerns raised by the public, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (CDC/ATSDR) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in collaboration with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), launched a multi-agency research effort in February 2016. The Federal Research Action Plan on Recycled Tire Crumb Used on Playing Fields and Playgrounds (FRAP) focuses on understanding potential human exposure to chemicals in recycled tire crumb rubber used in synthetic fields, which includes characterizing the chemicals in recycled tire crumb rubber and identifying the ways in which people may be exposed to these chemicals based on their activities on synthetic turf fields. Specific activities outlined in the FRAP include 1) conduct a literature review and data gaps analysis, 2) identify and characterize chemical compounds found in tire crumb used in artificial turf fields, and 3) characterize exposures, or how people are exposed to these chemical compounds based on their activities on the fields. This presentation will provide an overview of the activities led by CDC/ATSDR and EPA on the multi-agency research initiative.
