ATLANTA, April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The Synthetic Turf Council,
representing the U.S. synthetic turf industry, wants to offer some clarity
and context to the concerns raised by the New Jersey Department of Health
and Senior Services yesterday.
We offer this information as part of our corporate and community
responsibility to not only promote health and safety, but also to act as an
industry that relies on science, technology, research, engineering, testing
and factual data. These standards have enabled our industry to develop
cutting edge products that provide safe, environmentally sound sports and
recreation facilities for communities throughout the country, contributing
to the conservation of land and natural resources.
Based on the facts, chemical science, and research that is readily
available, we believe the synthetic turf fields identified in New Jersey,
and similar fields made with nylon fibers, are safe to use and pose no
known risk to an individual's health or the environment.
Here are the facts:
The pigment used to color the nylon fiber contains lead chromate, a
component used to extend the yarn color lifespan. Lead chromate is a highly
insoluble compound with extremely low bioavailability, which is diluted,
extruded with resins and microencapsulated within the nylon fiber. In fact,
OSHA requires no protective measures when handling the turf fibers.
Extremely low bioavailability means that even if the compound were to
be ingested, it is very difficult for the compound to be absorbed within
the body. There is no known evidence that this poses any health risk.
The City of Newark recently conducted elemental analysis testing using
EPA approved protocols on turf fibers from Ironbound Stadium, one of the
fields identified in the New Jersey report. A separate independent test,
supervised by Dr. Davis Lee, PhD of Chemistry with InnovaNet, was also
conducted. Both tests concluded that under EPA approved test conditions, no
leaching of heavy metals occurs. In other words - the lead chromate can't
escape the nylon within which it is contained.
In addition, the City of Newark ordered an air monitoring test which
was conducted by Weston Solutions at the Ironbound site during removal of
the stadium's nylon surface. The test found no detectable levels of
airborne lead or lead chromate. The technical data and summaries of these
tests are available to the public and the media.
It's important to point out that the evaluation by the New Jersey DHSS
of the safety of the material content of the synthetic turf in question is
being made by using EPA residential soil safety standards. The EPA soil
safety standard does not take into consideration the extremely low
bioavailability of compounds that are bound and encapsulated in plastics
such as synthetic turf. Given the serious nature of the report issued
yesterday, it's critically important to point out the DHSS report itself
acknowledges there is "a very low risk of exposure" to the users of the
fields in question.
About the Synthetic Turf Council
Based in Atlanta, the Synthetic Turf Council was founded in 2003 to
serve as an objective resource assisting buyers and end users with the
selection, use, and maintenance of synthetic turf systems in sports field,
golf, and landscape applications. The organization actively collects
reputable studies and research, as well as official statements by
governmental agencies and sports organizations, which address the impact of
synthetic turf sports fields. STC members produce and install most of the
synthetic turf sports fields in North America. Membership includes
builders, landscape architects, testing labs, maintenance providers,
installation contractors and other specialty service companies. For more
information, visit http://www.syntheticturfcouncil.org.
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