 New research examines the complex and potentially dangerous miasma of chemicals released by crumb rubber, a fill material used in many artificial turf fields. If you grew up in America — or much of the rest of the world — in the past 30 years, chances are that you’ve played on synthetic turf.
The small, spongy black beads used as fill material in most artificial turf fields are called crumb rubber, which has long been touted as a major win for recycling. However, conflicting studies have alternately identified crumb rubber as either safe for people to play atop or dangerous to human health. New research out of Northeastern University investigated the decay cycle of crumb rubber, which is fashioned out of old tires. By simulating the conditions in which the rubber decays, like strong sunlight, they discovered that crumb rubber is highly reactive, generating hundreds of previously untracked chemicals as it decays, some of which are hazardous to humans. Swimming upstream Zhenyu Tian, an assistant professor of chemistry and chemical biology, says researchers have long known that tire rubber produces harmful transformation chemicals as it breaks down. A transformation chemical is the product of a chemical reaction, the new chemical left behind. In the case of artificial turf, transformation results from things like sunlight, rain and natural decay over time.  After decades of playing on an artificial surface, Nebraska football is planning to install natural grass inside Memorial Stadium. Kaleb Henry, July 13, 2024 The days of an artificial surface inside Memorial Stadium are coming to an end.
In a recent interview with The Athletic, Nebraska athletic director Troy Dannen said the plan is to replace the FieldTurf with natural grass. Dannen said the change could potentially be done in time for the 2026 season, meaning just two more years on FieldTurf. But first, they will have to replace the surfaces on the fields outside the new Osborne Legacy Complex. That will come next year as the Huskers practice on natural grass in preparation, and as a test, for the stadium change. "I think grass is safer than turf," coach Matt Rhule said earlier this year. Nebraska has played on an artificial surface since 1970.  Traces of a banned substance were found in eight football players.
THU, 27 NOV, 2025 by NICK AMES The Norwegian club Vålerenga have called for anti-doping regulations to be strengthened after an extraordinary case in which a player from their women’s team was found to have ingested a banned stimulant from rubber crumb in an artificial pitch. A seven-month saga concluded on Wednesday when the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) chose not to appeal against the decision of Anti-Doping Norway (Adno) that the player was faultless. But the landmark case has highlighted the risks to footballers of environmental exposure to banned substances and opened up the possibility of further controversies emerging around the thousands of synthetic pitches across Europe.  BY LIBBY PALANZA NOVEMBER 5, 2025 South Portland residents voted Tuesday to approve a natural grass field for their high school’s athletic complex by a decisive margin of 54 percent in favor to 46 percent opposed. In parallel, a resounding 73 percent opposed the alternative of an artificial turf field which only 23 percent supported. Unlike last year’s substantially more costly proposal, voters had the choice between a $4.6 million natural grass field and a $5.5 million synthetic turf field. Both projects included a new track, new lighting and permanent bathrooms. Voters were able to cast their ballots in support of one, both, or neither of these options. Read the full article published in the Maine Wire  The turf, laden with forever chemicals, now faces an uncertain future. by Barbara Laker and David Gambacorta
Published Sept. 30, 2025, 5:00 a.m. ET It was supposed to be Pennsylvania’s Green Dream. Re-Match, a Denmark-based recycling company, had planned to open what it said would be the first artificial turf recycling facility in the United States — in a Schuylkill County factory by the end of 2024. Environmentalists were overjoyed. Lab tests have shown that artificial turf has for decades contained PFAS, or per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The so-called forever chemicals — which are found in an array of products, including firefighting gear and nonstick cookware — don’t break down in the environment and have been linked by the EPA to cancer, asthma, thyroid disease, and decreased immunity to fight infections. But Re-Match’s recycling dream will never be realized in Pennsylvania and as a result, tons of chemical-laden turf pose an ongoing environmental threat with no easy solution. Read the article  Maxine Wallace/The Washington Post An artificial turf field on a summer day is hotter than grass and asphalt. Here’s what to know about the debate over grass vs. turf. Column by Michael J. Coren Yale epidemiologist Vasilis Vasiliou won’t let any of his five children play on artificial turf fields. His research on the infill for synthetic turf — typically ground-up tires — identified the presence of dozens of known carcinogens, hormone disrupters, toxic metals and phthalates. What’s really needed, he said, are rigorous studies showing the extent to which those chemicals find their way into young players’ bodies and what that might mean for their health over time. Until then, Vasiliou said, “I would not recommend parents let their children play on there. Period.” Read the full article
 The debate over whether to install turf over grass fields has become a referendum on sports, health, the environment and the use of scarce public resources.
By Ken Belson and Hiroko Tabuchi July 26, 2025 Across the country, cities and towns are replacing grass fields with synthetic turf, a change that is driven by youth sports teams eager for more year-round playing spaces and the multibillion-dollar turf industry working to convince communities that plastic fields are better than natural ones. Many local officials, at the urging of families involved in youth sports, say turf fields can easily be played on after it rains and don’t need to be mowed or reseeded. But some residents, environmentalists and coaches are pushing back, claiming turf — which is made of plastic blades that mimic the look of grass and often sit on a layer of crumb rubber — is expensive to maintain because it must be replaced after several years, is vulnerable to flooding and exposes children to harmful chemicals and hotter temperatures. The debate over whether to install turf over grass fields has become a referendum on sports, health, the environment and the use of scarce public resources. In 2022, Boston effectively banned the installation of artificial turf, and municipalities in California, Connecticut and elsewhere have followed suit. Read the article  By Mia Alva, Jul 3, 2025 (photo by Mia Alva)
After agreeing to replace the La Cañada High School turf field in November 2024, the La Cañada Unified School District Governing Board recently approved a change order due to an unforeseen condition, increasing the contract by $113,000. Part of the original agreement with FieldTurf USA was to reuse the existing shock pads that lie beneath the synthetic turf, as they had passed testing that assessed the hardness of the playing surface. “It was expected that only approximately 5,000 square feet of the existing shock pads would need to be replaced,” Melissa Shepherd, assistant superintendent of business and operations, said to the board. “After removal of the existing turf, it was discovered that more than 5,000 square feet was needed to be replaced and unusable.” Since the proposal cost included a $40,000 allowance for unforeseen items, the increase will come out to $73,447 and make the full contract amount $909,258 instead of the original amount of $795,118. ...the district anticipated 20 years of life out of the current shock pads, which didn’t pan out. Shepherd said that certain sections were wearing differently. These are excerpts, read the full article here.  STEVEN CORDER APR 13, 2025 6:36 PM EDT When SMU Football hits the field on August 30 against East Texas A&M, it won’t just be the scoreboard catching fans’ eyes—it’ll be the ground beneath their cleats. Gerald J. Ford Stadium is trading in its synthetic turf for a natural grass surface, a decision rooted in both tradition and player safety. Artificial turf has long been criticized for contributing to non-contact injuries. A 2022 NFLPA report showed players are 32% more likely to suffer a non-contact knee injury on turf compared to grass. For SMU, fresh off an 11-3 season and a College Football Playoff appearance, keeping players healthy is a top priority. “Grass is easier on the joints, the knees, the ankles. This is for our players,” said one staffer familiar with the project. Read the article A school official from Massachusetts asked this question recently. They were given an estimate on the cost for their school to switch back to natural grass. The answer: A landscape architect says about $526,000 Cheaper than most synthetic turf replacements! See 1:39:41 in the recording below |
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