: [safer] Legal Action Launched on Lead in Artificial Turf

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[safer] Legal Action Launched on Lead in Artificial Turf

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 23, 2008

CONTACT: Caroline , 510-594-9864x308; Margulis, 510-697-0615

(cell)

Legal Action Launched on Lead in Artificial Turf

Lead threats from synthetic turf are not just from sport fields -

testing finds lead in artificial grass from Home Depot, Lowe's, Ace

Hardware, OSH and residential installers

Oakland, CA- Independent testing commissioned by the Center for

Environmental Health (CEH) has found high levels of lead in artificial

turf, including turf and indoor/outdoor grass carpet purchased from Home

Depot, Orchard Supply Hardware (OSH), Ace Hardware and Lowe's, as well

as from carpet retailers, online marketers, Bay Area turf installers,

and from turf obtained from a Bay Area elementary school. A test result

on one sample showed that a single wipe of a child's hand on the turf

could, if the child then wiped her hand on her mouth, suffer a lead

exposure in violation of California law.

" Parents see their kids playing on artificial turf and they expect the

turf to be safe, " said Green, Executive Director of CEH. " But we

found that artificial grass and turf can pose a real health threat to

children. You may not have to mow it or water it, but unfortunately our

findings show that you do have to test it for lead. "

Recent reports have found high lead levels in turf on artificial turf

playing fields, but the CEH testing shows that artificial grass used by

residential installers and sold to do-it-yourselfers can also be a

health threat. In addition to the home improvement retailers, the CEH

testing found lead in indoor/outdoor grass carpets made by Shaw Floors

and Atlas Floor Coverings; and artificial grass obtained from

residential installers and dealers in turf for do-it-yourself

installation, including AstroLawn and SynLawn (divisions of AstroTurf, a

subsidiary of Crystal Products), U.S. Turf, NewGrass, ProGreen

International, Best Turf for Less, Turf Headquarters, Forever Lawn, and

Synthetic Turf International.

CEH initiated legal action against the retailers and synthetic turf

companies under California's Proposition 65 law today. The nonprofit is

calling for turf makers to reformulate their products to eliminate the

lead risk to children. CEH is recommending that parents and schools be

sure that children wash their hands thoroughly after playing on

artificial turf fields. The nonprofit is also announcing that parents,

schools or others with artificial turf fields can send samples of turf

for free lead testing to the nonprofit's Oakland office.

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released a warning

about potential lead exposures from turf, stating that " As the turf ages

and weathers, lead is released in dust that could then be ingested or

inhaled, and the risk for harmful exposure increases. " One of the turf

samples CEH found with high levels of accessible lead was obtained from

the yard of a Bay Area elementary school that had the turf installed (3)

years ago.

Children playing on artificial grass can be exposed when lead from turf

wipes off onto their hands (from hand-to-mouth behaviors), and young

children may be more at risk since they are more likely to swallow turf

material. Children can also be exposed when turf degrades in the sun and

releases lead-tainted dust. In the 1990's, the CPSC announced recalls of

certain vinyl mini-blinds due to the potential for lead poisoning from

dust on the blinds.

Lead is a neurotoxin that can cause learning disorders, brain and nerve

damage, hearing problems, stunted growth, and digestive problems.

Scientists are increasingly concerned that there is no safe level of

lead exposure, especially for young children.

The testing commissioned by CEH analyzed total lead concentration in

turf and also used a standard wipe test to ascertain the amount of

accessible lead from contact with the turf. The tests found high levels

of lead in both nylon and polyethylene turf samples.

In New Jersey, several turf fields have been closed after high lead

levels were found. The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior

Services (NJDHSS) recently tested artificial turf and dust from turf

fields and found that lead in turf can become accessible and pose a

health hazard when digested. In a letter to CPSC, the NJ agency stated

that its testing showed that " lead dissolves from turf fibers and the

turf field dust under stomach acid conditions, and is available to be

absorbed through the small intestine. "

According to the synthetic turf industry, the NJ study confirmed the

safety of turf. But NJDHSS found otherwise, stating that for children

exposed to lead from artificial turf, " the potential for lead poisoning

to occur is plausible. " The agency also called for alternatives to the

use of lead in the manufacture of synthetic turf.

In May, the California Senate passed a bill sponsored by Senator Abel

Maldonado (R-Santa ) calling for a state study investigating the

health and environmental impacts of natural versus synthetic turf

fields. The bill, SB 1277, now goes to the Assembly.

A CEH report and more information is available at www.cehca.org

<http://www.cehca.org/> . Consumers with questions about sending

samples for lead testing to CEH can call 510-594-9864.

The CDC statement is available at

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/artificialturf.htm

<http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/artificialturf.htm>

The NJDHSS press release and more information is available at

http://nj.gov/cgi-bin/dhss/njnewsline/view_article.pl?id=3190

<http://nj.gov/cgi-bin/dhss/njnewsline/view_article.pl?id=3190>

Information on SB 1277 is available at

http://info.sen.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=sb_1277 & sess=CUR & ho

use=B & site

<http://info.sen.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=sb_1277 & sess=CUR & h

ouse=B & site> =

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