11% of Parks Department athletic fields are composed of synthetic turf.
Assessing Health Risks of Synthetic Turf
Developed in the 1960s, artificial turf has become increasingly popular for athletic fields and playing fields because it requires little maintenance, uses no fertilizers or pesticides and has padding, which helps prevent injuries. Thousands of professional sports teams, universities, high schools and town, city and county parks across the country use synthetic turf for their fields. Currently, about 94 of the New York City Parks Department's 800 athletic fields are composed of synthetic turf material.
There has been concern about the health risks associated with these fields, and with funding from a private donor to the Fund for Public Health in New York, the NYC Health Department and the NYC Parks Department conducted a review of scientific research studies carried out in the U.S. and Europe, which assessed potential exposures and health risks for people using turf fields containing crumb rubber. The studies indicated that the potential for exposure to chemicals is probably too small to increase the risk for any health effects. Click here to read the full report. An air quality survey was also conducted to measure chemicals in the air above synthetic turf fields that contain crumb rubber infill. Results show that air quality at the synthetic turf fields surveyed is similar to the air quality at natural grass fields. Click here to read the full report. Findings from both reports have been shared with other local, state and federal agencies. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation released a report confirming these findings. To read the full report click here.
For more facts on artificial turf, click here.