By Scott Gerber, Program Director of Better Play Initiative
Today’s sports calendar is packed. Athletic directors face the challenge of providing their programs with a space to practice and prepare on a consistent basis, across football, field hockey, baseball, soccer, lacrosse, track and field, and more.
The best-laid plans go awry when it rains. ADs have to schedule makeup days and seek out indoor options. That’s why so many schools have made the switch to synthetic turf with recycled rubber infill. The turf helps keep fields open and host back-to-back games and practices.
For some time, people have raised questions about recycled rubber. The good news: leading researchers from California recently tackled this issue. The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (CalOEHHA) completed an extensive study of recycled rubber over a period of nearly a decade. What they found is definitive: “no significant health risk” for players, coaches, referees, and spectators using the fields.
California takes a backseat to no one on issues of health and the environment. Their top researchers looked at the material from nearly every angle. Their core findings included:
- Cancer risks associated with the recycled rubber infill used in artificial turf fields “are insignificant for athletes, coaches and referees.”
- Long-term use of these fields “does not result in exposures to chemicals that pose significant non-cancer health hazards.”
- The “use of synthetic turf fields does not pose hazardous levels of exposure to sensory irritants (chemicals that can cause irritation of the eyes or airways).”
- “On average, people using the fields were not exposed to levels of chemicals that can cause harm to childhood development of the male or female reproductive systems.”
The study represents the most comprehensive to date on the use of recycled rubber in synthetic turf. For ADs, it provides essential information for those who have questions. The language is simple and the takeaways are strong. Here is what CalOEHHA Director Kris Thayer said:
"This study should ease concerns about the safety of crumb rubber use in synthetic turf fields," said Thayer, "Athletes of all ages can use these fields without parents worrying about this commonly used material."
With this study in hand, administrators can focus on accessibility and year-round play.
As the founder of a travel baseball organization and the parent of two high school athletes, I have seen first-hand what happens when communities choose synthetic turf. After it rains, we are able to get back on the field sooner. Communities can trust that when the weather clears, their fields will be available.
Schools are now tasked with overseeing more sports and activities than ever before. For many districts, the fall season now includes soccer, field hockey, football, and girls’ flag football. Practices and games are often back-to-back, with limited space and time. To keep all of these teams on the field, ADs need confidence that the surfaces they choose are both safe and consistently accessible.
Recycled rubber infill has shown to be significantly more durable compared to alternative options. Fields play truer, and the material’s shock absorption helps equip fields to handle heavy foot traffic. Testing has shown that the rubber degrades significantly slower than alternatives.
Athletic directors, school administrators, and parks and recreation officials should make decisions based on safety, accessibility, and community needs. This study out of California provides clear, credible, science-based guidance to inform those decisions.
