Synthetic Turf

Synthetic Turf Health and Environmental Impacts

Health and Environmental Impacts

For the latest information related to disinfectants and Coronavirus, see the links below. As always, be sure to check with your synthetic turf manufacturer before applying any chemicals.

CDC Cleaning & Disinfection of Community Facilities

EPA List of Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2

Penn State Studies

Year	Authors	Title	Link
2020	McNitt et al.	Survival of Staphylococcus aureus applied to Poa pratensis, L. and synthetic turf	Read It Here
2012	McNitt and Petrunak	Evaluation of the efficacy of Ultraviolet-C light to eliminate Staphylococcus aureus from infilled synthetic turf surfaces	Read It Here
2011	Serensits et al.	Human health issues on synthetic turf in the USA	Read It Here
2009	A.S. McNitt, D.M. Petrunak, and T.J. Serensits	A Survey of Microbial Populations in Infilled Synthetic Turf Fields	Read It Here
2008	McNitt et al.	A Survey for the Presence of Staphylococcus aureus in the Infill Media of Synthetic Turf	Read It Here

Scientific Journal Articles

Year	Authors	Title	Link
2023	Moreno et al.	A new look at rubber recycling and recreational surfaces: The inorganic and OPE chemistry of vulcanised elastomers used in playgrounds and sports facilities	Read It Here
2022	Zuccaro et al.	Artificial turf and crumb rubber infill: An international policy review concerning the current state of regulations	Read It Here
2022	Xie et al.	Toxic effects and primary source of the aged micro-sized artificial turf fragments and rubber particles: Comparative studies on laboratory photoaging and actual field sampling	Read It Here
2022	Lauria et al.	Widespread Occurrence of Non-Extractable Fluorine in Artificial Turfs from Stockholm, Sweden	Read It Here
2022	Murphy and Warner	Health impacts of artificial turf: Toxicity studies, challenges, and future directions	Read It Here
2022	Kubota et al.	Characterization of synthetic turf rubber granule infill in Japan: Total content and migration of metals	Read It Here
2022	Kawakami et al.	Characterization of synthetic turf rubber granule infill in Japan: Rubber additives and related compounds	Read It Here
2022	Kawakami et al.	Characterization of synthetic turf rubber granule infill in Japan: Polyaromatic hydrocarbons and related compounds	Read It Here
2022	Grynkiewicz-Bylina et al.	Tests of rubber granules used as artificial turf for football fields in terms of toxicity to human health and the environment	Read It Here
2022	Sakai et al.	Characterization of synthetic turf rubber granule infill in Japan: Volatile organic compounds	Read It Here
2022	Graca et al.	Presence of metals and metalloids in crumb rubber used as infill of worldwide synthetic turf pitches: Exposure and risk assessment	Read It Here
2021	Armada et al.	Global evaluation of the chemical hazard of recycled tire crumb rubber employed on worldwide synthetic turf football pitches	Read It Here
2021	Negev et al.	Hazardous chemicals in outdoor and indoor surfaces: artificial turf and laminate flooring	Read It Here
2021	Gomes et al.	A review of potentially harmful chemicals in crumb rubber used in synthetic football pitches	Read It Here
2020	Valeriani et al.	Artificial-turf surfaces for sport and recreational activities: microbiota analysis and 16S sequencing signature of synthetic vs natural soccer fields	Read It Here
2020	Keller et al.	The Fate of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a Synthetic Turf System	Read It Here
2020	Celeiro et al.	Evaluation of chemicals of environmental concern in crumb rubber and water leachates from several types of synthetic turf football pitches	Read It Here
2020	Celeiro et al.	Hazardous compounds in recreational and urban recycled surfaces made from crumb rubber. Compliance with current regulation and future perspectives	Read It Here
2020	Massey et al.	Artificial turf infill: A comparative assessment of chemical contents	Read It Here
2020	Schneider et al.	ERASSTRI - European risk assessment study on synthetic turf rubber infill - Part 1: analysis of infill samples	Read It Here
2020	Schneider et al.	ERASSTRI - European risk assessment study on synthetic turf rubber infill - Part 2: migration and monitoring studies	Read It Here
2020	Schneider	ERASSTRI - European risk assessment study on synthetic turf rubber infill - Part 3: Exposure and risk characterisation	Read It Here
2019	Almansour et al.	Playground lead levels in rubber, soil, sand, and mulch surfaces in Boston	Read It Here
2018	Pronk et al.	Synthetic turf pitches with rubber granulate infill: are there health risks for people playing sports on such pitches?	Read It Here
2018	Perkins et al.	Evaluation of potential carcinogenicity of organic chemicals in synthetic turf crumb rubber	Read It Here
2018	Benoit and Demars	Evaluation of organic and inorganic compounds extractable by multiple methods from commercially available crumb rubber mulch	Read It Here
2018	Bleyer and Keegan	Incidence of malignant lymphoma in adolescents and young adults in the 58 counties of California with varying synthetic turf field density	Read It Here
2018	Celeiro et al.	Determination of priority and other hazardous substances in football fields of synthetic turf by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry: A health and environmental concern	Read It Here
2017	Canepari et al.	Release of particles, organic compounds, and metals from crumb rubber used in synthetic turf under chemical and physical stress	Read It Here
2017	Peterson et al.	Comprehensive multipathway risk assessment of chemicals associated with recycled ("crumb") rubber in synthetic turf fields	Read It Here
2015	Selbes et al.	Leaching of DOC, DN, and inorganic constituents from scrap tires	Read It Here
2014	Cheng et al.	Environmental and health impacts of artificial turf: a review	Read It Here
2013	Kruger et al.	New approach to the ecotoxicological risk assessment of artificial outdoor sporting grounds	Read It Here
2013	Pavilonis et al.	Bioaccessibility and risk exposure to metals and SVOCs in artificial turf field fill materials and fibers	Read It Here
2013	Schiliro et al.	Artificial turf football fields: environmental and mutagenicity assessment	Read It Here
2013	Ruffino et al.	Environmental-sanitary risk analysis procedure applied to artificial turf sports fields	Read It Here
2012	Rhodes et al.	Zinc leaching from tire crumb rubber	Read It Here
2012	Kim et al.	Health risk assessment of lead ingestion exposure by particle sizes in crumb rubber on artificial turf considering bioavailability	Read It Here
2011	Ginsberg et al.	Benzothiazole toxicity assessment in support of synthetic turf field human health risk assessment	Read It Here
2011	Menichini et al.	Artificial-turf playing fields: contents of metals, PAHs, PCBs, PCDDs and PCDFs, inhalation exposure to PAHs and related preliminary risk assessment	Read It Here
2011	Ginsberg et al.	Human health risk assessment of synthetic turf fields based upon investigation of five fields in Connecticut	Read It Here
2011	Simcox et al.	Synthetic turf field investigation in Connecticut	Read It Here
2010	Li et al.	Characterization of substances released from crumb rubber material used on artificial turf fields	Read It Here
2010	Van Rooij and Jongeneelen	Hydroxypyrene in urine of football players after playing on artificial sports fields with tire crumb infill	Read It Here
2009	Bocca et al.	Metals contained and leached from rubber granulates used in synthetic turf areas	Read It Here
2008	Zhang et al.	Hazardous chemicals in synthetic turf materials and their bioaccessibility in digestive fluids	Read It Here
2003	Birkholz et al.	Toxicological evaluation for the hazard assessment of tire crumb for use in public playgrounds	Read It Here

U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission

Year	Authors	Title	Link
2008	CPSC	CPSC staff analysis and assessment of synthetic turf "grass blades"	Read It Here

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Year	Authors	Title	Link
2019	EPA	July 2019 Report: Tire Crumb Rubber Characterization	Read It Here
2009	EPA	A scoping-level field monitoring study of synthetic turf fields and playgrounds	Read It Here

National Toxicology Program - U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

Year	Authors	Title	Link
2019	National Toxicology Program	NTP Research Report on the Chemical and Physical Characterization of Recycled Tire Crumb Rubber: Research Report 11	Read It Here
2019	National Toxicology Program	NTP Research Report on Synthetic Turf/Recycled Tire Crumb Rubber: Characterization of the Biological Activity of Crumb Rubber In Vitro: Research Report 12	Read It Here
2019	National Toxicology Program	NTP Research Report on Synthetic Turf/Recycled Tire Crumb Rubber: Feasibility Study in Support of Non-inhalation In Vivo Exposures of Synthetic Turf/Recycled Tire Crumb Rubber: Research Report 13	Read It Here
2019	National Toxicology Program	NTP Research Report on Synthetic Turf/Recycled Tire Crumb Rubber:14-Day Exposure Characterization Studies of Crumb Rubber in Female Mice Housed on Mixed Bedding or Dosed via Feed or Oral Gavage Research Report: 14	Read It Here

Washington State Study

Year	Authors	Title	Link
2017	Washington State Department of Health	Investigation of reported cancer among soccer players in Washington State	Read It Here

Connecticut Studies

Year	Authors	Title	Link
2010	Connecticut Department of Public Health	FACT SHEET - The CT DPH risk assessment of artificial turf fields	Read It Here
2010	Department of Energy and Environmental Protection	Result of state artificial turf field study: no elevated health risk	Read It Here
2010	The Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering	Committee report: peer review of an evaluation of the health and environmental impacts associated with synthetic turf playing fields	Read It Here
2010	The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station	2009 study of crumb rubber derived from recycled tires - final report	Read It Here
2010	The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection	Artificial turf study - leachate and stormwater characteristics - final report	Read It Here
2010	University of Connecticut Health Center	Artificial turf field investigation in Connecticut - final report	Read It Here

New York Studies

Year	Authors	Title	Link
2009	New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene	Air quality survey of synthetic turf fields containing crumb rubber infill	Read It Here
2008	New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene	A review of the potential health and safety risks from synthetic turf fields containing crumb rubber infill	Read It Here
2008	New York State Department of Health	FACT SHEET: Crumb-Rubber Infilled Synthetic Turf Athletic Fields	Read It Here

California Studies

Year	Authors	Title	Link
2010	California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery	Safety study of artificial turf containing crumb rubber infill made from recycled tires: measurements of chemicals and particulates in the air, bacteria in the turf, and skin abrasions caused by contact with the surface	Read It Here
2009	California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment	Chemicals and particulates in the air above the new generation of artificial turf playing fields, and artificial turf as a risk factor for infection by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA). Literature review and data gap analysis	Read It Here
2007	California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment	Evaluation of health effects of recycles waste tires in playground and track products	Read It Here

New Jersey Studies

Year	Authors	Title	Link
2011	UMDNJ-EOHSI	Crumb infill characterization for trace elements and organic materials	Read It Here
2008	State of New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services	Update: New Jersey investigation of artificial turf and human health concerns	Read It Here
2007	New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection	Preliminary assessment of the toxicity from exposure to crumb rubber: its uses in playgrounds and artificial turf playing fields	Read It Here

International Studies

Year	Authors	Title	Link
2017	European Chemicals Agency	An evaluation of the possible health risks of recycled rubber granules used as infill in synthetic turf sports fields	Read It Here
2017	Dutch National Institute of Public Health and the Environment	Evaluation of health risks of playing sports on synthetic turf pitches with rubber granulate	Read It Here
2007	Intron	Environmental and health risks of rubber infill. Rubber crumb from car tyres as infill on synthetic turf	Read It Here
2006	Norwegian Pollution Control Authority	Measurement of air pollution in indoor artificial turf halls	Read It Here
2006	IBV	Study of incidence of recycled rubber from tyres in environment and human health	Read It Here
2006	Norwegian Institute of Public Health and the Radium Hospital	Artificial turf pitches - an assessment of the human health risks for football players	Read It Here
2006	Norwegian Building Research Institute	Potential health and environmental effects linked to artificial turf systems - Final Report	Read It Here