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TUHSD
NEWS
FIELDTURF GIVEN GREEN LIGHT BY THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
AND SENIOR SERVICES (NJDHSS)
 Trenton,
NJ - April 15, 2008
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The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior
Services (NJDHSS) has tested 12 artificial turf fields and found that there
are “very low or undetectable levels of lead” in the polyethylene fibers
used by FieldTurf.
However, the NJDHSS stated that “high levels of lead” were found
in the nylon turf fibers — old style, carpet-like fibers that are not
even remotely similar to FieldTurf’s fibers. FieldTurf has never used nylon
fibers. These tests confirm yet again that FieldTurf fields are safe for the
players and the environment.
This is not the first time that FieldTurf, the inventor of the infilled grass
system, has been mistakenly accused and lumped in with other turf manufacturers.
The fibers in the FieldTurf system, installed on more than 200 fields in the
Garden State and over 2500 fields worldwide, have a positive impact on
the environment because FieldTurf uses only environmentally friendly components.
“The safety of athletes and communities is, and always has been, the number
one priority at FieldTurf,” said FieldTurf Tarkett CEO Joe Fields. “Our
commitment to the environment ensures that our products are constantly being
tested to ensure safety. The FieldTurf system has worked wonders for organizations
all over the world as a product that reduces water consumption and pollution
caused by chemical use, while increasing playing time, reducing injuries
and promoting a healthy lifestyle.”
The installation of FieldTurf eliminates the use of harmful pesticides, fertilizers,
herbicides and fungicides, while at the same time removes thousands of
tires from landfill sites. FieldTurf requires no mowing, fertilizing, reseeding
or watering. FieldTurf helps organizations earn the necessary points needed
for U.S. Green Building Council LEED certification. FieldTurf’s reused rubber
content and water use reduction, among other factors, can contribute
up to 10 points towards LEED certification.
Synthetic Turf Council Offers Clarity & Context to Concerns About New Jersey
Fields 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 www.syntheticturfcouncil.org
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