AstroTurf Statement Regarding AP Story

An article published on Dec. 18 by the Dallas bureau of the Associated Press has again raised questions about the safety of synthetic turf. The story focuses on nylon turf fibers, and mirrors an identical scenario that played out in New Jersey over the spring and summer which prompted an inquiry by the U. S. Consumer Products Safety Commission. On July 31, the CPSC concluded that based on materials testing and forensic toxicology, synthetic turf – including the nylon variety in question – poses no risk to human health under any reasonable circumstance. Yesterday’s article did not mention the CPSC report. All AstroTurf system fibers, including nylon RootZone® fibers, have been tested and evaluated for safety and pose no risk to the health of children or adults.


Every day throughout the U.S., children and youth, as well as collegiate and professional athletes, play football, soccer, field hockey, lacrosse and other sports on artificial turf. Parents, coaches and kids alike deserve to be fully informed about the research and science behind the safety of the materials used in these fields to avoid causing undue alarm among the many families whose children use them with regularity.

Please watch the video from our press conference on this issue in New York earlier this year

Attached below are links to the:

• CPSC statement


• CPSC report


• Statement from the Synthetic Turf Council


• Contents of the AstroTurf press conference held in May, 2008

Birdville ISD Superintendent addresses high lead levels in stadium’s turf

This week, many media outlets began reporting a story of high levels of lead found in the AstroPlay field turf at the Fine Arts/Athletics Complex (FAAC). Though the basis of the story is true, I want to take this opportunity to share with you additional information the media did not report.

BISD student-athletes consider themselves lucky when faced the the alternative hazards associated with real grass fields.

I want to begin by assuring you that individuals who have played on the field at the FAAC are not and have not been in danger of lead poisoning.

In recent laboratory tests, the district learned a portion of the field under the main playing surface contained lead levels above those set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) based on a child ingesting soil. Unfortunately, the EPA has not established any regulations or guidelines for artificial turf, so the testing company, TraceAnalysis, Inc., had to speculate on the levels. The report said, "Ingestion of a turf field does not occur at the rate of soil ingestion ..."

"Synthetic turf is, and has always been safe," Dr. Blair Leftwich, TraceAnalysis, Inc. director, shared with BISD. "In over 40 years of EPA oversight and OSHA regulated manufacturing, there is no scientific or medical evidence that synthetic turf poses a human health or environmental risk from lead." He also stated that with no EPA standards for synthetic turf, any conclusions on health risks are merely speculative.

Dr. David Black, forensic toxicologist with Aegis Sciences Corp., said, "a 50 pound child would have to ingest over 100 pounds of synthetic turf to be at risk of absorbing enough lead to equal the minimum threshold of elevated blood lead."

Dr. Davis Lee, Ph.D., Executive in Residence at the Georgia, Institute of Technology School of Polymer, Textile, and Fiber Engineering, said, "If a green synthetic turf field containing lead chromate is still green, then the lead chromate is still in the yarn. If the Chrome Yellow pigment had leached out, the field would likely be blue.'

We take this matter very seriously, and the safety of our students is our number one priority. Based on the information provided to the district, we do not believe there is any current risk since the lead levels in the uppermost fibers, the portion of the field that individuals are in contact, are well within acceptable range.

"Studies to date are insufficient to make a determination of human health effects," TraceAnalysis reported. In addition, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission said, "There is no indication that exposure to the turf could pose any harm. We are not recommending at all, communities shut down their playing fields."

BISD will continue to monitor the turf and will be proactive in addressing any issues associated with the continued safety for our students.

Sincerely,

Dr. Waddell



Link

McCallie Installing Artificial Turf At Spears Stadium

Artificial turf is coming to The McCallie School, but it won't be blue as in Boise State blue."We are the Big Blue here at McCallie, but the turf will look as close to natural grass as possible," McCallie athletic director Bubba Simmons said Friday.

McCallie plans to install AstroTurf's GameDay 3D Grass on the playing field at Spears Stadium. The GameDay 3D was recently ranked the closest to grass in a study at Michigan State University.

It has also received a two-star certification by FIFA Soccer.Construction crews are already taking topsoil from the field and moving it to the practice field west of the stadium to alleviate drainage problems there.

"It's supposed to go from the mud hole it is now to a finished product by February and ready for all our spring sports," Simmons said. "We simply needed a multi-purpose facility and the turf made sense."

It will make the field available for everybody from our sports teams to dorm competitions to summer camps. Spears Stadium is the focal point on campus and this will allow us to use it for a lot more of our needs."

In a recent article about the new turf at Joplin (Mo.) High School, Joplin Globe Executive Sports Editor Lance Ogden wrote, "The GameDay Grass Astro Turf 3D surface looks and feels like real grass, and the base under the synthetic turf appears to be good, old-fashioned soil.''"We've been to look at fields where this is installed," Simmons said.

"We feel this will be a great playing surface that will meet our multi-purpose needs."The football coaches and athletic directors we have talked to are extremely pleased with the surface and its durability. They also tell us that they are averaging fewer injuries as well, from minor to major."

The track will remain around the field at Spears Stadium."We just think the artificial turf enhances all our sports needs," Simmons said. "We are really excited and enthusiastic about it."

Reebok and GeneralSports Venue/AstroTurf Join Forces for First-Ever R&D Effort Focused on Footwear-Surface Interaction

Industry Leaders Seek Performance and Safety Gains for All Athletes

In a first-of-its-kind partnership, Reebok and GeneralSports Venue, the exclusive U.S. licensee of the AstroTurf® brand of synthetic sports turf products, announced today that they are joining forces to study the interaction between athletic footwear and field surfaces for athletes ranging from professionals to amateurs.

The goal of the research collaboration is to help improve athlete performance and help reduce injury risk through the development of better shoes and synthetic sports surfaces. Reebok will spearhead footwear product development while GSV/AstroTurf will focus on synthetic sports turf. The AstroTurf brand was selected based on the advantages of its vertically-integrated manufacturing assets, including the scientific research, design and engineering used to produce sports turf that is among the most technologically advanced in the world.

“GSV/AstroTurf is clearly the leading innovator in synthetic turf, making them our first choice for this unique partnership,” said Don Gibadlo, Vice President of Cleated Footwear at Reebok.

“Instead of studying the interface between the cleats and surfaces already in use, we will be the first to test these products in the conceptual phase, helping us produce innovations that will enhance performance and safety for athletes in field sports at all levels around the world.”
The research effort will analyze footwear-surface interactions, on both synthetic turf and natural grass, for an evolving range of athletic dynamics and an array of athlete types, from NFL linebackers to NCAA soccer players and Little League outfielders.

“As a global leader in performance athletic footwear and the official supplier to several of the world’s elite professional sports leagues, Reebok is the ideal R&D partner,” said Chris Plunket, Senior Vice President of Operations for GSV/AstroTurf. “As industry leaders, it is our shared responsibility to improve both performance and safety, the top priorities of athletes, coaches and management at every level, by leveraging our collective expertise to put the products of the future on a fast track to the marketplace.”

The research will be conducted at various venues nationwide, including on a GameDay Grass 3D™ surface from AstroTurf recently installed at Reebok’s global headquarters in Canton, Mass., with state-of-the art equipment for mechanical and biomechanical testing. Until now, most shoe-surface interaction studies have used cleats and surfaces already on the market, focusing almost exclusively on the incidence of injuries as opposed to performance enhancement.

Reebok and GSV/AstroTurf