Blumenthal Wants Health Study Done on Artificial Turf Fields

As the high school fall sports season gets under way, it seems there are more artificial turf fields on the schedules than ever.

The list of venues with artificial turf field includes but is not limited to:

• Tolland
• E.O. Smith
• Southington
• Enfield
• Glastonbury
• Suffield
• Granby
• Wethersfield
• Simbury
• Farmington

These are not the 1970's pale green field that seemed more like indoor-outdoor carpet than grass. The latest technology uses "crumb rubber" or "mulch" made from recycled old tires, which is spread into the field to provide some give, thus simulating a natural grass surface and cut down on lower extremity injuries.

But U.S. Sen. Richard Blumental, D-CT, wants them closely scrutinized in terms of potential adverse health effects from the rubber.

He wants a effort led by federal Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Elliot F. Kaye to study the health effects "fully funded" by the federal government.

He said the CPSC wants to intensify a joint effort with the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct a federal investigation into the safety of artificial turf.
CPSC is focused on playgrounds and EPA and CDC are researching artificial turf fields, Blumenthal said.

Despite a $1 million request from President Obama, Congress has yet to provide any funding for any study, he said. Blumenthal said he will call on Congress to provide full funding for the safety study.

“Studies have revealed strong evidence linking crumb rubber to cancer, and parents deserve to know now whether these playgrounds and fields are safe," Blumenthal said.

Next up in the area could be the Avon school system, which approved a new synthetic high school stadium field in the spring, but is also studying the potential impact of the rubber mulch on athletes.

Photo Credit: Chris Dehnel