Environmental Toxins: Study Finds Toxins in Turf

Junfeng Zhang, a professor and acting chairman of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at Rutgers University, says that he has found "worrisome" levels of toxins in the rubber granules that are used as fill-in material in football fields. The report says that more tests will be needed to determine the actual danger posed by the material, but recommends a moratorium on new installations.

Study Finds Toxins in Turf Fields, Urges Time-Out

Stacy Price, a resident in a town that uses the rubber turf, has asked her city for a response to Zhang's research. "It's a good report based on science and people should know about it. This is for those who care about good government and truth-in government." City officials say that the town has no plans to conduct their own chemical analysis of the synthetic turf and added that Zhang's report contained no new information. James Schinkel, the director of technical services for Sportexe, says that he is familiar with the report. "The chemical composition of the in-fill material is very well known from rubber industry reports." However, Schinkel adds that the report was biased because it broke down the rubber material with acid, something that does not occur on the field.