EPA: Recycled Crumb Rubber Infill OK
for Use with Synthetic Turf Sports Fields

http://www.epa.gov/nerl/features/tire_crumbs.html

The Use of Recycled Tire Materials on Playgrounds & Artificial Turf Fields

http://www.asgi.us/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&post=775&message=6#post_name Posted: December 3, 2009

Downloadable Documents

Download “A Scoping-Level Field Monitoring Study of Synthetic Turf Fields and Playgrounds” (pdf, 123pp, 7.2MB)

Download a pdf file of the Tire Crumbs fact sheet. (pdf, 4pp, 29KB)

Background

Ground rubber — also called “tire crumb” or “crumb rubber” — is recovered from scrap tires or from the tire retreading process. It is used in road construction and in a number of athletic and recreational applications, including ground cover under playground equipment, running track material, and as a soil additive on sports and playing fields.

Crumb rubber is often used in artificial turf fields as “infill” between turf fibers to provide stability, uniformity and resiliency to artificial turf fields. Artificial turf was developed in the mid-1960s and has since gained widespread popularity around the country. Synthetic turf was originally used in stadiums and on athletic fields for college and professional sports teams, but now is also used in municipal parks, golf courses, playgrounds, cruise ships, and airports. There is also a growing residential market.

According to the Synthetic Turf Council, artificial turf has been installed in approximately 4,500 U.S. fields, tracks and playgrounds.

Public Concerns

Over the past several years, a number of public concerns have been raised over the use of tire crumb materials in turf fields and playgrounds. For example, parents in Colorado were concerned about children carrying home small particles of tire crumbs on their clothing. About this time, high levels of lead were detected on some artificial turf fields in New Jersey.

EPA Research

In response to these concerns, EPA developed an Agency workgroup that initiated a limited-scale scoping study to test a study protocol and monitoring methods for generating environmental data associated with the use of recycled tire material on artificial turf fields and playgrounds.

As part of this evaluation, data were collected at a limited number of sites. The full study protocol was implemented at two synthetic turf fields and one playground. Additional samples were collected at four other synthetic turf fields and a second playground. Sampling sites were located in North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, and Maryland.

It is important to have accurate and reproducible methods for measuring environmental concentrations of the components of synthetic turf fields and playgrounds. The study protocols and the majority of the methods evaluated were found to be appropriate for characterizing concentrations of tire crumb components in the environment.

On average, the concentrations of components monitored in this study were below levels of concern; however, given the very limited nature of this study (i.e., limited number of components monitored, samples sites, and samples taken at each site) and the wide diversity of tire crumb material, it is not possible to extend the results beyond the four study sites or to reach any more comprehensive conclusions without the consideration of additional data.

In reviewing the literature, EPA believes there is no definitive study that fully addresses all of the questions regarding safety considerations associated with the use of synthetic turf and/or crumb rubber fields. As a further complication, characteristics and performance of synthetic grass blades may need to be considered separately from those of crumb rubber infill. However, both the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Centers for Disease Control recommend that young children wash their hands frequently after playing outside and always before they eat. EPA also recommends these practices.

The results from this scoping study along with results from other studies conducted by Federal, State, and local organizations, such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC); Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry; states including New Jersey, Connecticut, California, and New York; and New York City, will be considered by EPA to identify possible next steps to address questions from the public regarding the safety of tire crumb infill in ball fields and playgrounds.

A meeting is being planned for spring 2010 among interested federal and state agencies to share information about possible contaminant levels from tire crumb/synthetic playing surfaces and discuss whether additional research is needed.

Key Technical Findings from EPA’s Study

Key technical findings from the EPA scoping study are summarized below. It should be stressed that the fields were selected based on proximity to facilities of EPA’s National Exposure Research Laboratory. The results reported here may not be representative of environmental concentrations found at other sites.

The overall study protocol and many of the methods were found to be appropriate and could be implemented in the field. Several limitations are noted as follows:
- Collecting integrated air samples provided a high burden in terms of time and equipment.
- At any single site, there can be substantial variability in the materials used and the concentrations of contaminants measured. More work is needed to determine where to collect samples and how many samples to collect to fully characterize a given site.
- It was difficult to obtain access and permission to sample at playgrounds and on recreational fields. More work is needed to increase public and private owner participation if additional monitoring studies are to be conducted.

Methods used to measure air concentrations of particulate matter (PM) and metals were found to be reliable.
- Concentrations of PM and metals (including lead) measured in air above the turf fields were similar to background concentrations.
- Concentrations of PM and metals at the playground site with high play activity were higher than background levels.
- All PM air concentrations were well below the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for PM (150 micrograms per cubic meter). All air concentrations for lead were well below the NAAQS for lead (150 nanograms per cubic meter).

Methods used to measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air were found to be reliable.
- All VOCs were measured at extremely low concentrations which is typical of ambient air concentrations.
- One VOC associated with tire crumb materials (methyl isobutyl ketone) was detected in the samples collected on one synthetic turf field but was not detected in the corresponding background sample.

Methods used to measure extractable metals from turf field blades, tire crumb materials, and turf field wipe samples were found to be reliable. However, the aggressive acid extraction procedure will likely overestimate the concentration of metals that are readily available for human uptake. Since understanding uptake is a key component in understanding risk, methods to determine bioavailable metal concentrations are still needed.
- Total extractable metal concentrations from the infill, turf blade samples and tire crumb material were variable in the samples collected both at a given site and between sites.
- The average extractable lead concentrations for turf blade, tire crumb infill, and tire crumb rubber were low. Although there are no standards for lead in recycled tire material or synthetic turf, average concentrations were well below the EPA standard for lead in soil (400 part per million).

Likewise the average extractable lead concentrations for turf field wipe samples were low. Although there are no directly comparable standards, average concentrations were well below the EPA standard for lead in residential floor dust (40 micrograms per square foot).

Additional information on the use of recycled tire materials

In the United States, a number of cities and states have engaged in varying levels of sampling, testing and evaluation of synthetic turf products.

In January 2007, the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment issued a report, Evaluation of Health Effects of Recycled Waste Tires in Playground and Track Products. The report concluded that there appeared to be little long-term risk to human health.

However, in August 2007, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station reported the results of a small ($2,000) study it conducted to evaluate tire crumb. The laboratory concluded that “under relatively mild conditions of temperature and leaching solvent, components of crumb rubber produced from tires (i) volatilize into the vapor phase and (ii) are leached into water in contact with the crumbs.”

In June 2008, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a low-level public health advisory, due to the extensive publicity surrounding artificial turf. The Consumer Product Safety Commission investigated reports of lead contamination from artificial turf and, in July 2008, concluded that “young children are not at risk from exposure to lead in these fields.”

After a review of the literature, EPA identified a number of compounds or materials that may be found in tires, although not all are contained in every tire:

acetone
aniline
arsenic
barium
benzene
benzothiazole
cadmium
chloroethane
chromium
cobalt
copper
halogenated flame retardants
isoprene
latex
lead

manganese
mercury
methyl ethyl ketone
methyl isobutyl ketone
naphthalene
nickel
nylon
phenol
pigments
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
polyester
rayon
styrene?butadiene
toluene
trichloroethylene

Look here for other feature stories.

ASGi August 10, 2010 Crumb Rubber, EPA, Health & Environment, Infill Solutions, Lead & Heavy Metals Artificial Grass, Artificial Grass Fields, artificial turf, Artificial Turf Georgia, Artificial Turf Market, crumb rubber hazards, crumb rubber infill, EPA, Grass Surface Info, green building, hazards, lead, synthetic grass, synthetic turf No Comments

North American Artificial
Grass Market Ahead in 2009!

AMI Research

Artificial Grass Global
Market Report Published

Revised with 2009 Market Intelligence..

ARTIFICIAL GRASS DEMAND AHEAD IN 2009

AMI, Bristol, 26/04/2010– Despite the challenging economic environment global demand for artificial turf grew in 2009 according to a recently published study by leading industry consultants, Applied Market Information Ltd (AMI). The report’s author John Nash says that “Sports governing bodies, as well as local and central government saw good sense in continuing to invest in improved facilities in 2009. Most producers, with the exception of some North Americans, were quite pleased with the final outcome of 2009 despite a slow start to the artificial turf season.”

While many will remember the pitches they played on as kids and think artificial turf is a niche market, today’s reality is quite different. Gone are the hard surfaces that caused friction burns and impact injuries, and in their place are controlled slide and defined energy restitution. Changing product design has brought synthetic turf into the mainstream of surfaces used for both sports and landscaping applications. The industry now accounts for over 700,000 tonnes of product ranging from the polymers used for the grass carpet through the elastomeric rubber infill to the underlay. The market value of the grass carpet alone is estimated at €1.3 billion and is expected to exceed €2 billion in 2013.

The grass yarns are made from PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene) and PA (polyamide), and they are fast developing both in terms of the performance of the polymer, but also the shape of the yarns and their bonding into the backing tape, whether by SB (styrene butadiene) latex or PU (polyurethane). The infill that has become predominant is SBR (styrene butadiene rubber) sourced from grinding up and recycling car tyres, but new TPEs (thermoplastic elastomers) are being offered which address specific requirements. A more recent focus for development is the underlay, or shock pad, which is becoming increasingly important to the performance of the system as a whole.

Industry participants have been investing strongly in new products, additional capacity and the reshaping of their channels to market. Investments for instance by FieldTurf Tarkett have much reduced their reliance on outsourcing. Alongside these commercial developments, as predicted by AMI in its 2007 report, there is also substantial M&A activity as participants use mergers and acquisitions to build and reshape their businesses. The last eighteen months have seen major acquisitions involving TenCate Thiolon, TigerTurf, Shaw Industies, Sportexe and ‘private equity’ backed purchases of STI (APT), Nexcel and others.

Supply and demand in the market needs to be seen in a geographically global context partly because of the trade flows in the various components, but also because participation strategies are increasingly global in their implementation.

‘The Global Artificial Grass Market 2009’ is a detailed multi-client research report published in March 2010. For further information please contact John Nash at AMI: jsn@amiplastics.com or +44 117 924 9442.

AMI is an ASGi Charter Member and Board Advisor – Markets, Trends & Intelligence

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ASGi May 5, 2010 Market Artificial Grass, Artificial Grass Association, artificial turf, Artificial Turf Georgia, Artificial Turf Market, crumb rubber infill, synthetic grass, synthetic turf, Synthetic Turf Council, united states No Comments

FIFA President States – Future Secure for Synthetic Sports Fields

SportsField Management

Synthetic Surface Update

by Suz Trusty

Research, safety and the future of artificial turf

Recent announcements have once again put synthetic field systems in the spotlight. Perhaps the most assertive comments were made by Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) president Joseph S. Blatter on a German TV show, “Inside Sport” on October 5, 2009 and rapidly spread through the worldwide sports community. An excerpt from the German newspaper, “Die Welt” reports Blatter saying, “…that artificial turf is the ‘future of football,’ as well as claiming that ‘most countries around the world will play on artificial turf one day because it can be used 24 hours a day, seven days a week.’”

PHOTOS BY STEVE TRUSTY.

More research on grooming synthetic fields will add additional data to that already compiled.

Research will assess the impact of painting markings on synthetic surfaces as compared to markings incorporated into the playing surface.

Those comments followed the report of the conclusion of a study conducted by the German Sport University of Cologne, stating that, “well-maintained artificial pitches have no measurable effect on the game.”

Expanded sports field-centered research initiatives on the U.S. side are also creating a stir. Penn State has teamed with FieldTurf in a five-year commitment to sports surface research. Dr. Andy McNitt, associate professor of soil science for Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, will serve as director of the new Center for Sports Surface Research.

The University of Tennessee (UT) has partnered with AstroTurf to create the Center for Safer Athletic Fields, geared to research comparing natural grass playing surfaces to synthetic turf systems. Key researchers for this center are Dr. John Sorochan, associate professor and turfgrass specialist with the department of plant sciences in the University of Tennessee College of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources, and Dr. Jim Brosnan, assistant professor and turfgrass specialist.

McNitt says the Penn State research will center on synthetic and natural turf systems, primarily outdoors, but with indoor study as research directs, and expanding into other sports surfaces, initially including track and basketball. The University of Tennessee will research outdoor systems, according to Sorochan.

Both centers are open to take on other partners in the future as they seek to broaden the research to explore all aspects that impact the surfaces and the athletes. Both will test a myriad of different synthetics, those commercially available and those in development. Sorochan says, “For natural turf, we’ll use five different rootzones with the transition zone grasses: blue, rye and bermuda.” Though Penn State is in the cool-season zone, McNitt says, “We do have some bermuda plots installed here that are doing well. Our window of testing is just shorter.”

Hot topics

Heat is an ongoing issue. Though it’s not a factor when it’s cloudy or during the evenings, it’s fairly well documented that, on sunny days, synthetic surfaces get significantly hotter than natural grass. The heat goes through the shoe and into the feet and must be dissipated. While efforts are ongoing in alerting trainers, coaches, athletes and parents to monitor this, research will focus on an effective way to control it.

Alternative infill products, such as this natural infill, will undergo testing for multiple factors.

Alternatives in infill will continue to be researched, with the heat issue one part of that equation. Additional testing will look at playability, hardness, wearability, off-gassing, leaching and how the various materials hold up over time.

Safety is a top topic, with both centers focusing on human movement and how the athlete and playing surface interact. McNitt says, “Traditionally, the kinesiologists’ research has gone to the bottom of the shoe, and our studies have gone to the bottom of the shoe. We’ll be wiring athletes and having them perform maneuvers and working with cadavers in similar studies to see the actions and reactions and gauge the effect of varying surfaces on different joints with different types of shoes and cleats. The challenge will be trying to limit all the other variables: temperature, moisture, all the maintenance procedures that impact natural turf and those with synthetics, such as the age of the system, the density of the infill and whether it’s been groomed recently.”

Some of the research will key on the environmental impacts for all types of surfaces, with many aspects to explore, including leachate, carbon sequestration, ecology and recycling. Research will include further study into off gassing, the release of certain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by components of the synthetic systems and the crumb rubber.

Another hot topic is wear. Sorochan says, “We’ll be simulating multiple levels of wear from one sport to multiple sport fields, through all the levels of athlete size and skill, from premium game-only fields to daily use fields. We’ll factor in non-sports events, too. While we can’t simulate every condition, the transition zone does provide some of the extremes.”

Researchers will continue to study synthetic field system grooming techniques, timing and frequency under various conditions and field use levels.

Performance is a major issue, from the point of construction or installation throughout the life of the field. This encompasses multiple areas of research from the natural or synthetic materials used, construction and/or installation procedures and long-term maintenance.

Accessing the data

University-based research includes recording testing results with the data available industrywide. McNitt says Penn State has been tracking the results of grooming on synthetic surfaces for seven years, with all but the current year’s data posted on the Web site: www.ssrc.psu.edu.

Quantifiable research data can address issues that spark widespread public and media attention, such as the concerns about MRSA and synthetic turf. Two Penn State studies: A Survey of Microbial Populations in Infilled Synthetic Turf Fields, and Survival of Staphylococcus aureus on Synthetic Turf, also are posted on the Web site.

ASTM standards

The issue of lead content in synthetic turf fibers prompted action in multiple sectors, including field owners and producers, testing laboratories, university researchers and governmental regulatory agencies. Initially, there was confusion over testing procedures, as different results occurred from different methods. Additionally, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission asked the industry to remove all intentionally added lead from turf fibers. Subsequently, ASTM International formed a subcommittee to address these issues and has issued a new standard: ASTM F2765, Specification for Total Lead Content in Synthetic Turf Fibers. ASTM announced another task group has been formed to “address the environmental and health issues related to synthetic turf infill materials.

Moving forward

As research and testing move forward, and standards and certification set industry benchmarks, innovation is sure to follow. Researchers expect significant data to become available early in the process. Industry suppliers anticipate the ability to use this data to identify key areas of performance and make ongoing adaptations to integrate them into product development. Sports field managers will gain a greater body of knowledge for comparison of all sports field systems to more effectively assist their facilities in making decisions on new fields and retaining top performance on existing fields.

The author is a contributing editor for SportsField Management.

http://www.sportsfieldmanagementmagazine.com/article.php?id=4474

ASGi December 10, 2009 ASTM, Artificial Grass, CPSC, Crumb Rubber, ESTO, FIFA, Field Related Info, Heat, Market, Parks & Rec, Schools - Public & Private Artificial Grass, Artificial Grass Fields, artificial turf, Artificial Turf Georgia, Artificial Turf Market, ASTM, CPSC, EPA, Field Related Info, FIFA, Heat, lead, MRSA, synthetic grass, synthetic turf, Synthetic Turf Council No Comments

Calif AG Strikes Agreement To Limit Lead (Pb) in Artificial Turf Grass Yarn From Crystal Products, AstroTurf & SynLawn

Brown Creates Nation’s First Enforceable Lead Standards for Artificial Turf Grass Yarns

OAKLAND-Fighting to ensure the safety of children’s playgrounds and ball fields, Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today signed off on an agreement requiring Georgia-based AstroTurf, LLC, [Crystal Products Co., Inc. d/b/a SYNLawn, UGTH Equipment, LLC, General Sports Venue, LLC, and Synthetic Turf Resources, LLC (“Settling Defendants”), among the Defendants named in the complaint,] to virtually eliminate lead from its artificial grass, creating the country’s first enforceable lead standards for artificial turf products.

“As schools and daycare centers replace grass with artificial turf, extreme care must be taken to minimize lead exposure,” Brown said. “This agreement is the first of its kind and will help make playgrounds and ball fields safe for our children.”

In 2008, Brown filed suit against AstroTurf, Crystal Products, and SynLawn for excessive lead levels after testing by the Center for Environmental Health (CEH) found high levels in artificial turf products. Brown’s office independently tested AstroTurf and other artificial turf products and confirmed CEH’s findings. AstroTurf immediately took steps to begin reformulating its products.

Today’s consent judgment requires AstroTurf to reformulate its products so that they contain less than 100 parts per million (ppm), and to further reduce lead levels to 50 ppm by June 2010. Lab results found that some AstroTurf products contained more than 5,000 ppm lead. Lead was added to keep the colors vibrant over time. AstroTurf will be prohibited from selling any existing stock that doesn’t meet these standards.

AstroTurf will also provide a grant of $60,000 to the Public Health Trust to fund “wipe testing” of dislodgeable lead on artificial turf fields at daycare centers, schools and public playing fields in California. If the level of dislodgeable lead exceeds the specified replacement level, AstroTurf will provide replacement turf to the daycare center, school or public field at no cost.

AstroTurf will also provide a mailed warning to all customers who purchased its products in California in the past five years. The warning will (1) inform customers that the turf products contain lead; (2) explain “good maintenance practices” that can effectively reduce exposures to lead; and (3) advise the customers of the availability of the program to test and replace old turf products. AstroTurf will also establish a website to provide information to the public on lead content in its products.

The Los Angeles City Attorney and Solano County District Attorney joined Brown in the case against AstroTurf. In addition to its obligation to replace products that exceed acceptable lead levels, the company will pay $170,000 in civil penalties, grants and attorney fees.

“Today’s agreement with AstroTurf sets a strong standard for other companies who have not yet agreed to eliminate lead risks to children from turf,” said CEH Executive Director Michael Green. “Lead is a stunningly toxic chemical that has no place in playing fields for children. We applaud the Attorney General, the LA City Attorney, the Solano County DA and AstroTurf for this accord to protect California’s children.”

For More Information Please Contact Calif AG’s office at:
(916) 324-5500

Download a copy of the PROP 65 Consent Judgment HERE

ASGi August 14, 2009 ASTM, Artificial Turf Yarn Fibers, Bans of Turf, CDC Info, CPSC, Calif State, Crumb Rubber, EPA, Health & Environment, Infill Solutions, Lead & Heavy Metals, OSHA, PE & PP Yarn Fibers, PP Yarn Fibers, Parks & Rec, Prop 65, Testing, cpsia, lawsuits, standards Add new tag, Artificial Grass, Artificial Grass Association, Artificial Grass Fields, artificial grass install guide, artificial turf, Artificial Turf Georgia, artificial turf information, Artificial Turf Market, california, Field Related Info, hazards, heavy metals, Prop 65 Artificial Turf Settlement, synthetic grass, synthetic turf, Synthetic Turf Council, Testing No Comments

Lead (Pb) Limits for Artificial Grass and Synthetic Turf Standard Just Published

ASGI UPDATE: July 28, 2009

ASTM Publishes New Standard for Lead (Pb) In Synthetic Turf Fibers and Finished Yarns

It’s official and you can purchase your own license of the newly published ASTM standard online at the ASTM website here: ($32 for individual license)

http://www.astm.org/Standards/F2765.htm

Summary:

ASTM F2765
1. Scope

1.1 This specification applies to the maximum content of lead in fibers used in synthetic turf.

1.1.1 This specification outlines a test method for sample preparation and a test method for analyzing the total lead content in synthetic turf fibers.

1.1.2 This specification outlines guidelines for reporting total lead content in synthetic turf fibers.

1.2 This specification applies only to synthetic turf fibers manufactured after Sept. 1, 2009.

Note 1—It is the goal of the industry to reduce lead content to 100 mg/kg (ppm) by Sept. 1, 2011.

1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.

1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

Index Terms

lead; synthetic turf; synthetic turf fibers

DOI: 10.1520/F2765-09

ASGi July 28, 2009 ASTM, Grass Surface Info, Lead & Heavy Metals, Prop 65, Testing, UPDATES, standards Artificial Grass, artificial turf, Artificial Turf Georgia, Artificial Turf Market, ASTM Standards for Artificial Grass, synthetic grass, synthetic turf, Synthetic Turf Council No Comments

Artificial Grass: Beating the Heat – Safety Tips for Installers

Health and Heat

Safety Meeting Topic: OSHA – HEAT RELATED ILLNESS

Employees exerting themselves physically in the heat could be at risk of heat illness; a simple review of some handy safety tips with employees and/or end-users can make all the difference.