Truth About Turf
The Unforeseen Dangers of Artificial Turf
Michael E. Boisselle
College Composition II
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Abstract
The use of artificial turf surfaces in athletic facilities is rapidly becoming more common
each year. Many institutions are installing these artificial surfaces to help extend the playing
season for various sports regardless of weather. Many environmental dangers as well as health
risks associated with the use of artificial turf are often unseen. Studies have been performed
linking the harmful toxins released from a common tire infill used with the artificial surface,
and provide good reason to believe that the artificial surface is not the best solution. Artificial
surfaces easily take a turn from be described as an easy fix to poor field conditions, to a health
concern that also effects the environment. With numerous sources the following research pulls
together all of these important facts and presents them, to acknowledge individuals of the not
so beneficial side of installing artificial turf.
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The Unforeseen Dangers of Artificial Turf
It is the team’s home opener game against its rival neighboring school, just before tap
off. The clouds open and the rain comes down, but the game goes on. Players are covered with
mud, still determined to keep fighting through the weather. The grass is ripped off the surface
as the cleats dig into the ground, and the final whistle blows; the home team takes the victory.
The next day, the team approaches the field to see that due to the rain, the field has been ruined
and cannot be played on for weeks. The start of the season has been put on hold. This raises
concerns at a school board meeting, and a proposal is brought up to install artificial turf to help
remove the problem that put the season on hold. What are not known however, are the dangers
of choosing to install the artificial surface. Regardless, the board goes on to approve the plan to
install the artificial turf.
Many high schools and communities are making the transition to these artificial
surfaces regardless of the health risks to the athletes and pollutants to the environment that the
turf may cause. The demand for artificial turf (also referred to as synthetic turf) has increased
substantially over the past years. The demand has risen 18% and expects to continue to rise
(Bower, 2005). The advantages to artificial turf are easily outlined, but the dangers sometimes
go unnoticed. The costs and health risks accompanied with artificial turf must not go
unmentioned. Installation of artificial turf affects the community and environment just as
equally as the athletes. The decision to install such artificial turf affects the community as a
whole and should not go overlooked.
It was not until the late 1960’s that the use of synthetic grass was introduced to
society. The Houston Astrodome was the first facility to use the artificial turf surface in the
stadium, and therefore the synthetic grass became known as Astroturf (Fischetti, 2007). The
first turf, Astroturf, was a huge advancement in sports, though soon after that problems piled
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up. Such issues included the hardness of the surface that lead to rise in injuries including an
ailment known as “turf toe.” Due to the reported cases of higher injury rates on the surface, a
new evolution of turf has taken athletics to a new level. The synthetic turf was called FieldTurf,
and was composed of a polyethylene/polypropylene fiber that was stabilized by sand and
rubber infill to make the surface more characteristic of natural grass (Meyers & Barnhill, 2004).
Sports Turf Managers Association estimates an average cost of $1.4 million dollars for artificial
turf, and mentions how it is easy to see why many may think it is a product worth investing in
(“Turf Force,” 2006). However the number of risks that accompany the decision can easily
contradict any beneficial factor.
Typical turf fields hold more than 450,000 pounds of rubber granules. “A study released
in August by Environment and Human Health Inc. found that these particles release at least four
toxins, including one carcinogen, at elevated temperatures”(Breen-Portnoy, 2007, p. 2). As an
athlete, upon leaving the field after every practice or game, I have to empty the numerous
rubber granules out of my shoes and clothing. Even after a shower these granules are still
entangled in my hair. It is not uncommon in my home during the winter seasons (when all my
games are played on artificial turf indoors), to find a trail of tiny rubber granules tracked
through the living room, up the stairs, and ending on the bedroom floor. Never has the thought
ever occurred to individuals that encounter the rubber granules, which are once only seen as a
nuisance, could be detrimental to an individual’s health.
The number of chemicals found in the rubber granules of artificial turf is astounding:
The report Artificial Turf describes identifying 25 chemical species with 72–99%
certainty using mass spectrometry–gas chromatography. Among those definitively
confirmed were the irritants benzothiazole and n-hexadecane; butylated
hydroxyanisole, a carcinogen and suspected endocrine disruptor; and 4-(t-octyl)
phenol, a corrosive that can be injurious to mucous membranes (Claudio, 2008, p. 119).
All of the previous chemicals are found in the material which artificial turf is
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composed of, making activity on artificial turf a greater risk then intended. The Rubber
Manufacturers Association indicates that currently all but 8 states have restrictions on placing
tires in landfills. This is greatly due to the prevention of tire fires, which releases toxins such as
arsenic, cadmium, lead, nickel, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, and volatile organic compounds.
The report, Artificial Turf Pitches: An Assessment of the Health Risks for Football Players, showed
that during sport play toxins can be aerosolized and released into the air from the rubber
granules and inhaled by athletes (Claudio, 2008). Patti Wood, executive director of the nonprofit
Grassroots Environmental Education, argues, “This crumb rubber is a material that cannot be
legally disposed of in landfills or ocean-dumped because of its toxicity. Why on earth should we
let our children play on it?” (Claudio, 2008, p.118). These toxins that are associated with the
rubber granules can cause serious skin and eye irritation. Studies have also shown that the
toxins released from the rubber granules may be harmful to the immune and nervous system,
with further studies testing the increased risk of asthma (Breen-Portnoy, 2007).
On natural grass field, the grass is usually cut weekly, and often watered daily. Not
only are these measures taken to keep the field healthy, but theses tasks also serve as a way to
wash and cut away the any bacteria or waste. Artificial turf does not require such frequent care,
leaving bacteria and waste imbedded on the surface for long periods of time. Turf is often
surfaced with sand as well as the rubber granules to serve as soil, or an absorbent substance for
water. An industry study by a turf company found that infill containing sand and rubber granule
mixture had 50,000 times the levels of bacteria found in the rubber alone (Claudio, 2008).
Another potential risk factor that was observed during testing of artificial surfaces was the
amount of heat the surface absorbs. “A study published in the Journal of Health, Physical
Education, and Recreation, showed surface temperatures as much as 95 to 140 degrees
Fahrenheit higher on synthetic turf than natural turf grass when exposed to sunlight” (“Turf
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Force,” 2006, p. 43). Exposure to surface temperatures that rise above 122 degrees Fahrenheit
can cause an increase risk for serious skin injuries. Accompanying the high temperature are the
common heat related illnesses. These injuries range from dehydration which leads to heat
related muscle cramps, all the way to heat stroke which without immediate medical attention
can be fatal (Anderson, Hall, & Martin, 2004).
With the rise of surface temperature of the fields, the simple solution for those hot
summer days would be to saturate the fields before games and practices. According to Stuart
Gaffin, an associate research scientist at the Center for Climate Systems Research at the
University of Columbia, synthetic turf is so efficient at absorbing the heat that saturating the
field is only a temporary solution. Stuart Gaffin stated, “After a short while of watering, I expect
the temperature should rebound and the surface become intolerably hot again” (Claudio, 2008,
p. 121). Not only is the solution only temporary, a study by the Environment and Human Health
Inc. found that when such fields are watered, the water carries directly to a sewer system
without the filtration that natural vegetation provides. Accompanying the water are 25 different
chemicals and 4 metals such as zinc, selenium, lead, and cadmium that can be released from the
rubber granules filtering into the water supply (Claudio, 2008). To reiterate the research, there
are strict regulations on the disposal of tires due to the chemical that it may release, though turf
companies reuse old tires and incorporate the rubber into the surface of the field for friends and
family to play on. The chemicals released go beyond those on the field when water washes the
chemical into the water system affecting the environment. That being said, it is hard to believe
how anyone can see installing the artificial turf as an option after the previous risks are
assessed.
The health risks of choosing to make the switch to a synthetic surface do not stop
there. The clearer factors, such as the increased risk of injury during play due to the surface,
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also need to be taken into consideration. Many studies have been conducted to test the theory
of higher injury rates on synthetic turf. A study performed at the Centre for Sports Medicine
Research and Education, by John Orchard, designed to determine in the field condition effects
the increase risk of injury, concluded that there was a 30 to 50% increase of injury risk to lower
limbs on synthetic turf as compared to natural grass. The study also brought the hardness of the
field into the picture as a factor that causes an increase in the speed of the game on synthetic
surfaces. Orchard’s research shows that due to the increased speed of play on synthetic
surfaces, muscle fatigue sets in more rapidly, which in turn leads to poor biomechanics thus
increasing the risk of injury to the athlete (Orchard, 2002). Another study added that an
increase of non contact related injuries were apparent in football players on synthetic turf after
a 5 year long study of high school football players. This also was categorized as a consequence of
the faster play of the sport (Meyers & Barnhill, 2004). “It has been hypothesized that the
consistent elastic surface enhances acceleration, speed, and torque, which leads to
overextension and muscle fatigue and hence greater risk of injury”(Ramirez, Schaffer, Shen,
Kashani, & Kraus, 2006, p. 1156).
Though many studies show a consistency in an increased risk of injury on synthetic
turf, much research also points out that the injuries sustained do not result in the athlete
missing substantial time from play. These minor injuries include cuts and abrasions that were
thought to have no long-term effect. These minor injuries are usually thought of as a risk
associated with any competitive activity. According to a five-year study of competitive football
seasons, the results showed that the specific injury with the highest occurrence included
superficial abrasions (Shrier, 2005). These abrasions became associated with turf and took the
name “turf burn.” Athletes that sustain such turf burns are at a 7 times higher risk of acquiring
an infection. In a competitive atmosphere it is common for an athlete to experience these
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abrasions during play, and continue on for the remainder of the competition. These abrasions
are not thought of as serious to athletes and in many situations they continue to play. With the
amount of time between the injury and the end of the game, an athlete is prone to forget all
about the cut or abrasion and never have it cleaned properly by medical staff. (Begier, Frenette,
Barrett, Mshar, Petit, Boxrud, Watkins-Colwell, Wheeler, Cabelinski, Glennen, Nguyen, & Hadler,
2004). Reports, as well as personal experience can show how too often these minor skin
abrasions go untreated. Having played soccer all my life, I have noticed a change in atmosphere
as I have aged. When I was in first grade it was okay to cry when hurt during a game, it was all
right to wear a Band-Aid. But as the years went on and the competitiveness of the game
increased, an athlete that leaves a game due to a minor cut or skin abrasion can lead to much
unwanted criticism by both teammates and coaches. Not to mention what an athlete may go
through if he or she shows up to a collegiate game or practice with Band-Aids on their “boo
boos.”
As abrasions are in the picture and continue to go untreated, these cuts can lead to
infections such as methicillin-resistant Staphyloccus aureus (MRSA). This is thought to be
spread easily among athletes due to the amount of skin-to-skin contact that occurs during play
and the sharing of locker space and equipment. Though a study conducted by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, did not appear to show synthetic turf to harbor MRSA, the
significant amount of turf burn and abrasions as well as the synthetic surface increase the
probability of infection (Claudio, 2008). The best way to prevent such infections as MRSA is to
avoid sustaining abrasions (Begier et al, 2004). Since the abrasions are most associated with the
synthetic turf surface, then the best prevention of the infection would be not to conduct
athletics on such surfaces.
In spite of the numerous health risks and harmful environmental factors of artificial turf,
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many people support its installation. Many see artificial turf as a quick fix for problems such as
closing the fields due to weather and expanding the amount of space available. Artificial turf
also needs less maintenance, leading to savings over time. There is no doubt that the installation
process for artificial turf can be completed relatively quickly; there is no time period of waiting
for the grass to grow or the roots to take hold in the soil.
The lack of maintenance needed for artificial turf fields can be a common misconception.
Many think that artificial turf does not require mowing, watering, fertilizing, or reseeding as
natural grass demands, which leads to less maintenance and material costs. In contrast, due to
the advancement in technology and great expenses in replacing damaged turf, maintaining the
turf field requires an individual to have experience and vast knowledge on the proper care of
the surface. The cost of maintaining artificial turf varies based on many factors such as the
importance of appearance, as in televised professional events. The annual cost of maintenance
on an artificial turf field can range from $5,000 to $25,000 annually; a natural grass field in
Colorado, which hosts approximately 110 soccer events annually, cost between $5,500 and
$8,000 a year to maintain (“Turf Force,” 2006).
As for the conservation of water by switching to artificial surfaces, that also has
substantial evidence against it. Synthetic turf fields absorb heat much more easily than natural
grass. A study by the Center for Climate Systems Research showed that synthetic turf fields can
get up to 60 degrees hotter on the surface than natural grass fields. During the study, the surface
of the synthetic field recorded a temperature of up to 160 degrees on hot summer days. Because
of these high temperatures and the health risks that accompany them, fields need to be
saturated with water just to cool the surface before any event or practice takes place. In
addition to heat control, the International Hockey Federation requires that college teams
saturate synthetic fields prior to games and practices to increase the traction of the field. The
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need for water on synthetic fields has been seen in such a demand that, during a recent drought
in the Southeast, Duke University received a business exemption to water the fields, provided
that the rest of campus decrease water consumption by 30%. By watering these fields, the toxic
rubber granules can be sent directly into the water system affecting both the community and
the environment (Claudio, 2008).
Supporters of artificial turf argue that the use of rubber granules as a substitute for soil
is good for the environment as well as the community. The advocacy group, New Yorkers for
Parks, claims that the use of synthetic fields and removal of natural grass and pollens is good for
the community. They claim that without such allergies that go hand in hand with natural grass,
it would reduce environmental factors that trigger allergy and asthma (Claudio, 2008). A study
released by the Environment and Human Health Inc (EHHI) stated that the rubber particles
release at least four toxins and one carcinogen at elevated temperatures into the environment.
The team made up of physicians, health professionals, and policy experts concluded that the
compounds released by the rubber at high temperatures could cause serious skin and eye
irritation and harm to the immune and nervous systems. Nancy Alderman, the president of
EHHI, stated that the 4-(t-octyl) phenol corrodes the mucous membrane, which particularly
affects people with asthma (Breen-Portnoy, 2007). Contrary to the lower pollen factor, a more
reliable study has proven that such toxins released by the rubber granules affect people in more
harmful ways than allergies, and specifically those whom have asthma.
As a result of the rising concern across the nation for the environment, many towns and
communities are going “green” by participating in activities such as recycling. Recycling does
not just have to include bottles and cans that were once filled with refreshments; recycled tires
are used to create the rubber granules for artificial turf. Tires, which once found a home in
landfills, are now being reused in a beneficial way. “According to the Environmental Protection
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Agency, from 1990 to 2003 the total number of scrap tires going to market increased from 11
million (24.5 percent) of the 233 million generated to 233 million (80.4 percent) of the 290
million generated” (Tamer, 2006, p.56). According to Rick Doyle, President of the Synthetic Turf
Council, artificial turf currently recycles one-twelfth of the near 300 million tires disposed each
year. The average soccer field can contain rubber granules made from 27,000 tires and can have
a density between 4 and 15 pounds of rubber infill per square foot. The numerous studies and
evidence prove that such rubber granules do release toxins, even with the new materials in
which tires are made. There are so many different materials put into tires that are made for
specific purposes that, “it is impossible to ensure players or gardeners and others that their
personal exposure is within safe limits,” stated David Brown, author of Artificial Turf and
director of public health toxicology for the Environmental and Human Health Inc. (Claudio,
2008, p. 120). It is conclusive that these rubber granules, under conditions such as heat, will
produce and release toxins that are hazardous to an individual’s health. There are reasons why
there are laws preventing the legal land filling of tires. Chopping the tires up into little rubber
granules and spreading them on the field only creates more surface area for heat to have a
greater impact. Making rubber smaller will not change the chemical composition; recycling and
moving the material from proper landfills to the surface of athletic fields does not change the
potential danger, but only increases the amount of people that are at risk.
Once installed, artificial turf can be used continuously throughout the year for multiple
activities including band, physical education classes, ceremonies such as graduation, and as any
multisport athletic field (Claudio, 2008). In the case of such uses, the rubber infill needs to be
top dressed occasionally over time to restore the fields’ resiliency (“Turf Force,” 2006). Where
have all of these rubber granules gone? The Environment and Human Health Inc. has
determined that these rubber granules release toxins that can be potentially harmful to the
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community as well as the environment (Breen-Portnoy, 2007). These rubber granules have left
the playing field through many different means of transport. Water run-off and athletes tracking
the granules off the field have now spread these potentially dangerous materials. Now that
these toxic materials have left the field into the environment, adding more granules over time
makes a continual loop of adding more pollutants to the environment. Another complication
with such multiple uses of the field includes the liability of damage done to the surface. When
having any type of non-sport related event such as a graduation, the field needs to be properly
prepared. This means that the setup needs to take into consideration the damage than can be
done to the surface. During such events, it is necessary to use a material such as plywood to
prevent any damage that can be done with direct contact to the turf, such as tears caused by the
edges of chair legs. It is important to carefully read the warrantee on the surface, because in
most cases such damage caused by improper preparation, as for a graduation ceremony, may be
a void in the contract. This leads to expensive repair of the surface (“Turf Force,” 2006).
As a solution to the need for a surface that is reliable and weather resistant, and to
prevent the destruction of fields that can be caused by the first rain of the season during a game,
while also being safe for the community and environment, natural grass is a better alternative
than artificial turf. The best choice at the current time would be to hold off on the installation of
artificial turf until the adjustments are made to reduce and/or eliminate the health and
environmental risks that artificial turf fields present. There are studies currently being
constructed in Europe regarding the design of an infill alternative made of new thermo plastic
material that is thought to be nontoxic. Mondo, a manufacture of floor surfaces that produces
Ecofill claims, “This material disperses heat more efficiently; is highly shock absorbent; does not
contain polyvinyl chloride, chlorine, plasticizers, heavy metals, or other harmful chemicals; and
is 100% recyclable” (Claudio, 2008, p.122). Until there is sufficient evidence that an alternative
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to rubber infill, such as Ecofill, has no detrimental affects to the environment or the athletes,
artificial turf installation should be avoided. Such studies will need to be long term to be
credible and have consistent conclusive data that could take years.
Currently, the best thing to do is to invest in a natural grass field and do one’s best to
keep it properly maintained before, during and after the season. It is irrational to risk the health
of individuals, and potentially pollute the environment, by installing artificial turf as a quick fix
to field complications that may require a few inconvenient alterations of event scheduling. With
so many unknown dangers accompanying artificial turf, it is better to be safe than sorry.
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References
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