That Synthetic Turf - CPSC says it's safe, but that might not be end of it

Today, reports Ross Kenneth Urken in THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, the Consumer Products Safety Commission issued a report stating that artificial turf used in sports field, although containing lead, was not a hazard to health. But it is calling for synthetic-turf producers to voluntarily eliminate the lead in the product. In West Haven, Connecticut, it was also announced that the synthetic turf for athletic fields is safe.

Several political leaders such as U.S. Senator Robert Menendez from New Jersey asked the CPSC to investigate this product for possible threats to children's health. This has been an issue also in California.

But, given the distrust of government in some circles, I don't see this as reassuring activists, NGOs, plaintiff attorneys and perhaps even some related industries.  My experience covering the raw-milk users, who break or get around the law and/or pay premiums for this product, showed me how poor the credibility of government is to a growing number of people. [Marler Clark' blogs covers this raw-milk counterculture movement.] 

My perception has been confirmed in a seminal article in the June 2008 FORTUNE by Marc Gunter titled "Wal-Mart: the new FDA."  Gunther documents how consumers, industry and the plaintiff bar are ignoring government and deciding on their own what's safe, what's not, and what action should be taken.

Any group wanting to get headlines could jump on this CPSC report and sponsor its own independent testing. At the top of the list of must-dos for the next Administration is restore trust in government - federal, state and city.

Comments

[fake grass perth]

Turf grasses are grown on many types of substrates - gravel, sand, silt, clay, organic or combination of these components. These components form a matrix (a root zone) that is characterized by specific physical, chemical and biological properties. These properties of the root zone determine the quality of turf that can be produced under different environment, management and use conditions.

[Annie]

Thanks for the post - the CPSC did an abbreviated assessment with 4 companies and 14 test samples - not a very wide sampling of products available on the market.

Their statement also, only, talks about the possible lead in fibers - 70% of our market's products don't contain lead pigments ... the EPA and CDC are continuing their work, more focused upon the crumb rubber infill (that is what has PAHs in it) and will be, first, starting with a set of test protocols that can provide adequate information.

For an archive of the issues - feel free to browse around on http://www.asgi.us - we've tried to post all the sides of the story and maintain an unbiased approach.

[dan]

The bigger problem here is that they tested for lead, found none, and so concluded that fields are safe. The critics of turf generally focus on more critical issues. The risk factors are from staph, heat and carcinogens. (Specifically, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known carcinogens that show up in very high levels. The EPA is very down on them, which is one of the reasons why it's illegal to dispose of synthetic turf in landfills.)

The CPSC missed the point. It's like they found that copper coated bullets don't leak lead, and said that kids should play with guns.

[Dan]

The bigger problem here is that they tested for lead, found none, and so concluded that fields are safe. The critics of turf generally focus on more critical issues. The risk factors are from staph, heat and carcinogens. (Specifically, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known carcinogens that show up in very high levels. The EPA is very down on them, which is one of the reasons why it's illegal to dispose of synthetic turf in landfills.)

The CPSC missed the point. It's like they found that copper coated bullets don't leak lead, and said that kids should play with guns.