Healthy Indoors | 45
Seventy-eight of the samples analyzed
were made of crumb rubber, and 13
samples were alternative infill mate-
rials, made from substances such as
cork granules, coconut fiber, or plastic.
The researchers' findings con-
firmed the widespread presence
of hazardous chemicals in the infill
samples. Most of the crumb rubber
samples contained PAHs considered
to be carcinogenic by the European
Chemicals Agency (ECHA), endo-
crine-disrupting phthalates, and other
chemicals categorized as "substanc-
es of very high concern." Three of
the crumb rubber samples contained
levels of PAHs exceeding the ECHA's
safety limit. In addition, both the crumb
rubber and plastic infill are microplas-
tics, which do not biodegrade in the
environment and are an emerging
concern for human health.
In acknowledgment of public health
concerns, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), Centers for
Disease Control (CDC), and CPSC
are currently engaged in a multi-agen-
cy research effort to more thoroughly
assess the potential human health
harms of exposure to tire crumb rub-
ber on playgrounds and playing fields.
But parents may not want to wait for
further research to take precautions to
protect their children's health.
The CPSC recommends the fol-
lowing steps to limit exposure to
potentially hazardous chemicals on
rubber-surfaced playgrounds and ar-
tificial turf fields:
Avoid mouth contact with play-
ground surfacing materials, including
mouthing, chewing, or swallowing
playground rubber.
Avoid eating food or drinking bev-
erages while directly on playground
surfaces, and wash hands after con-
tact with rubber-surfaced playgrounds
or artificial turf.
Limit time at rubber-surfaced play-
grounds or artificial turf fields on ex-
tremely hot days.
Clean hands and other areas of
exposed skin after visiting rubber-sur-
faced playgrounds or artificial turf
fields and consider changing clothes if
evidence of tire materials (e.g., black
marks or dust) is visible on fabrics.
Clean any toys that were used on
a rubber-surfaced playground after
the visit.
Though it may never lose its color,
grass that doesn't have to be watered
isn't always greener—especially when
it comes to our children's health.
Elizabeth Bechard is Senior Policy
Analyst for Moms Clean Air Force.
She is also a health coach, author,
former clinical research coordinator,
and a public health graduate student
at the London School of Hygiene and
Tropical Medicine.
TELL THE EPA: STOP THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY'S AT-
TEMPTS TO CRIPPLE OUR TOXICS LAW
