Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/726969
How safe are crumb rubber fields? I T L O O K S L I K E G R A S S , but the field is actually synthetic turf sprinkled with "crumb rubber" pellets made from recycled tires like the ones students are rolling across the field. Most athletes at the school play on it. is is one of approximately 902 synthetic playing fields in California and 12,000 in the U.S. Recycled tires are also used to resurface playgrounds where millions of children play. e crumb-rubber pellets embedded in artificial turf often end up in the mouths, ears and wounds of players — especially those who dive onto the field. ey stick to skin and clothes. Some educators and health experts fear the pellets may cause cancer in athletes, while others aren't worried about ill effects. Dave Beard, football and wrestling coach at Hoover High, says the artificial turf is a big improvement. e old field was mostly dirt and sometimes muddy, lacking clear lines. "I have not personally heard any concerns about this issue from administrators, parents or fellow teachers," says Beard, an adapted PE specialist and Glendale Teachers Associa- tion member. "But I know some people are concerned about crumb rubber." How crumb rubber took the field Back in the early 2000s, a new type of artificial turf was created using ground-up rubber from recycled tires. Pellets of crumb rubber are poured between the blades of fake grass to pro- vide more cushion and support. Many universities and half of National Football League stadiums use crumb rubber. e fields typically last 10 to 15 years and may cost as much as $1 million to install. In drought-stricken California, the new generation of synthetic turf has been viewed as an attractive alternative to grass, which requires large amounts of water, fertilizer and maintenance. Cr umb-r ubb er f iel d s are al so vie wed as b eing "green" because millions of old tires that were piling up in dumps are recycled. The tires are considered unsafe for landfill because of their chemical makeup and f lammability. Crumb rubber contains approximately 250 chemicals, many of them toxic, including benzothiazole, carbon black and heavy metals. Since 2005, the state's recycling program, CalRecycle, has given more than $42 million in grants to pay for crumb-rubber playing fields in schools and parks. Concerns over fake turf sprout up Amy Griffin, former U.S. women's national soccer team goalkeeper and current University of Washington coach, has a list of athletes who played on crumb rubber and developed cancer. She started compiling the list in 2008 when a few goalkeepers she knew with lym- phoma wondered if their illness was related to Football and wrestling teams at Hoover High School in Glendale take the field for practice on a beautiful spring afternoon. Exercises include rolling enormous tires across the field, stretching and running in place. Students also do "ladder drills" on all fours. At times their faces nearly touch the turf. 19 September 2016 Children play on artificial turf. Since 2005, California has given more than $42 million in grants to pay for such fields.