ESCP 2015 Children's Products Safety Report
December 1, 2015
Artificial Mulch Test Results:
June 17, 2014
Use of Pesticides in Public Areas Exposes Rochester
Area Residents to Toxic Chemicals
Rochester, June 17, 2014 – While pesticides were banned from New York State
schools in 2010, local governments continue to use toxic chemicals for cosmetic
purposes. Empire State Consumer Project has published its 2014 Government
Pesticide Survey, which highlights the hazards of common pesticides used on local
government properties. These include cancer, reproductive harm, organ and
nervous system damage, birth defects, and danger to animals and the
environment.
“Weed-free landscaping is a thing of the past. As research continues to
show the toxicity of pesticides to humans, animals, and the environment, and
organic gardening practices have proven effective, we must change our vision of
what constitutes a beautiful lawn,” says Judy Braiman, president of Empire
State Consumer Project. “Town, village and county parks, office complexes, and roadways
are a few of the properties that seek to ‘beautify’ their grounds while
exposing the public to toxic chemicals and polluting the environment. Some
communities report using no pesticides – If these communities can do it, they
all can.”
Braiman adds, “Consumers, employees, and neighboring residents have no
say about the pesticides they are exposed to while visiting or living near
these locations. Recent applications, even when posted with signs, cannot be
avoided altogether. Pesticide drift caused by wind and runoff from rain extends
the reach of the toxics well beyond their intended targets. Pesticide runoff
pollutes our waterways, including local lakes and bays we all use for
recreation and many municipalities use as their source of drinking water.”
Children and pregnant women are especially at risk. In 2005,
Environmental Working Group tested the cord blood of newborns and found 287
environmental chemicals, many of them pesticides. Children are at greater risk
from the dangerous health effects of these chemicals due to their lower body
weight and their developing organs, nervous systems and immune systems.
Children are also closer to the ground where pesticides are applied and they
spend more time on the ground while playing.
Empire State Consumer Project
Government Pesticide Use Survey 2014
Judy Braiman, President
Michele Anderson, Director
Carol Chittenden, Director
June 2014
Contents
I. Introduction 4
II. Health Effects of Pesticides 5
III. Survey Findings 6-9
IV. Conclusion 10
V. Attachments 11-12
Contact: Judy Braiman 585-383-1317
50 Landsdowne Lane Rochester,
New York 14618
E-mail: Judy Braiman
<judybraiman@frontiernet.net>
Copyright:
This report contains privately held intellectual
property. No part of this report can be
used by any for-profit entity other than the press without written permission
of Judy Braiman, President, Empire State Consumer Project, Inc. If the content
is used by a non-profit entity, it must be fully cited including title,
authors, and affiliation.
I. Introduction
While pesticides were banned
from New York State schools in 2010, local governments continue to use toxic
chemicals for cosmetic purposes on government office grounds and public parks.
The use of these toxic chemicals affects the health of over 1 million Rochester
metropolitan area residents and the environment.
As research continues to show
the toxicity of pesticides to humans, animals, and the environment, and organic
gardening practices have proven effective, we must change our vision of what
constitutes a beautiful lawn. Local towns, villages, and counties seek to
‘beautify’ their grounds while exposing the public to toxic chemicals and
polluting the environment.
Empire State Consumer Project
has published this survey to highlight the hazards of common pesticides used on
properties in the area, including cancer, reproductive harm, organ and nervous
system damage, birth defects, and danger to animals and the environment. The responses we received were self-reported
by the government offices we contacted. Some towns would not respond to our
request, even after we provided official Freedom of Information Act Letters of
request, which local governments are required by law to honor.
Given the dangerous
consequences of pesticide use, communities are beginning to ban the use of
pesticides for cosmetic purposes. Our Government Pesticide Use Survey reports
on the all-too-common use of pesticides in public areas in the Rochester region
simply for the supposed ‘beautification’ of grounds.
Schools have been forced to
change their perspective on what constitutes beautiful grounds in favor of
healthier, pesticide-free grounds for students, staff, and the public. We believe that government must follow suit
as a matter of public health policy.
II. Health
Effects of Pesticides
In 2010, New York State
enacted a law banning the use of pesticides on school grounds, both public and
private (except in the case of emergency health threat). The Child Safe Playing
Field Act was signed into effect to reduce children’s exposure to the toxic
chemicals found in pesticides, many of which are linked to cancer, birth
defects, neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, reproductive harm, and kidney and
liver damage. Studies also suggest that pesticide ingredients are responsible
for learning disabilities. http://www.beyondpesticides.org/lawn/factsheets/Pesticide.children.dontmix.pdf
Household pets can also
suffer many of the same effects as their owners when they are exposed to
pesticides in public areas.
The main ingredient in the
pesticide Roundup, commonly used on Rochester area properties, is
glyphosate. A 1999 study by the American
Cancer Society found that people exposed to glyphosate are 2.7 times more
likely to contract Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.
A recent study in the
scientific journal Entropy links Roundup to Parkinson’s, infertility and
cancers, among other illnesses. http://www.mdpi.com/search?q=roundup&journal=entropy&volume=&authors=§ion=&issue=&article_type=&special_issue=&page=&search=Search
The most recent data (1998)
from California’s Department of Pesticide Regulation finds that glyphosate
ranks first among herbicides as the highest causes of pesticide-induced illness
or injury to people in California. The EPA is considering whether to restrict
the use of glyphosate and will have a determination by 2015.
Another pesticide commonly
used on Rochester area properties is 2,4-D. Several studies show that this
chemical can cause lymphatic cancer in exposed individuals 2,4-D is the most
widely used herbicide in the U.S. non-agricultural sector, with 23-27 million
pounds used annually (U.S. EPA 1999). A study by the National Cancer Institute
found that farm workers exposed to 2,4-D for 20 or more days per year
experienced a 6-fold increased risk of developing Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma; farm
workers who mixed or spread the chemical experienced an 8-fold increase in
risk.
Children and pregnant women
are especially at risk. In 2005, Environmental Working Group tested the cord
blood of newborns and found 287 environmental chemicals, many of them
pesticides (http://www.ewg.org/research/body-burden-pollution-newborns).
Children are at greater risk from the dangerous health effects of these
chemicals due to their lower body weight and their developing organs, nervous
systems and immune systems. Children are also closer to the ground where
pesticides are applied and they spend more time on the ground while
playing. http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/kidpesticide.htm
In addition to the health
risks pesticides pose to humans, many cause damage to animals, including
aquatic life. One in ten male frogs exposed to atrazine, one of the most
commonly used pesticides in the world, became female. http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2010/03/01/frogs/
Lastly, the so-called ‘inert’
ingredients in pesticide products are not harmless. Many inert ingredients help
make pesticide toxics more dangerous and can be hazardous chemicals themselves.
About 50% of all inert ingredients are at least moderately risky, according to
the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Inert ingredients can make up
well over 90% of a product.
III. Survey
Findings
Survey Method
Our survey method was to identify
towns and villages in Monroe County and to send them, the City of Rochester and
the County itself the attached survey. The results were self-reported, meaning
government officials provided the data to us. We are relying on their knowledge
of their pesticide use to be accurate.
In February of each year, the
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation requires local governments to report
their pesticide use. It also oversees the licensing of their pesticide
applicators. Roundup or glyphosate, the most widely used pesticide does not
require a license for application, which may lead some government users to not
consider Roundup a pesticide and not report its use in this survey.
We urge readers to contact towns
and villages that use pesticides to ask where and when these pesticides are
applied, so that those who would like to avoid treated areas may do so. If an
office reports that no pesticides are used, confirm whether glyphosate products
such as Roundup are used.
Governments that would not
respond are noted.
Town Pesticide Use
Brighton
– Reports no pesticides used. Used a hogweed product a few years ago – looking
for alternative.
Chili
-Trimec (2,4-D, mecoprop and dicamba)
Clarkson
- Lesco (bifenthrin), Super Soap, Clorox
Gates
– Reports no pesticides used.
Greece
– Barricade (prodiamine), Dimension (dithropyr), Escalade (2,4-D, fluroxypyr
and dicamba), Excite R (pyrethrins, piperonyl botoxide), Suspend (deltamethrin)
Hamlin
– Has not returned calls.
Henrietta
– Prosecutor (glyphosate)
Irondequoit – Reports no pesticides used.
Mendon
- Roundup, 2,4-D, Trimec (2,4-D, mecoprop and dicamba)
Ogden
– Reports no pesticides used.
Parma
– Roundup (glyphosate)
Perinton
- Primera One Triplet SF (24D, mecoprop and dicamba), Triamine (dimethylamine)
ProDeuce (glyphosate and prodiamine), Preen (trifluralin)
Penfield
- Terro Liquid Ant Baits (Borox), Prosecutor Pro (glyphosate) Surfcan,
Crosscheck (bifenthrin), Sledgehammer (halosulfuron methyl),Talstar One (bifenthrin)
III. Survey
Findings, Continued
Town Pesticide Use,
Continued
Pittsford
- Lesco 3-Way (2,4-D, mecoprop and dicamba), Merit (imidacloprid), Acclaim
Extra (fenoxaprop), Sledgehammer (halosulfuron methyl), Q4 Turf herbicide (quinclorac,
sulfentrazone, 2,4-D and dicamba), Agri-Fos (mono & dipotassium salts of
phosphorous acid), Scythe (glyphosate), Confront (triclopyr and clopyralid)
Riga
- 2,4-D and Roundup (glyphosate)
Rush
– Reports no pesticides used.
Sweden
- Bee spray; did not provide name of product.
Webster
– Roundup (glyphosate), Optigard gel and bait (thiamethoxam), Transport 9 bifenthrin
and Acclaim (fenoxaprop)
Wheatland
– Dylox (trichlorfon), Acclaim (fenoxaprop), Lesco Nufarm (propiconazole),
Trans GHP insecticide (acetamiprid, bifenthrin)
Village Pesticide Use
Brockport
– Reports no pesticides used.
Churchville—Mec
Amine D (2,4-D, mecoprop and dicamba), Dimension 2E W (dithiopyr), Barricade (prodiamine),
Merit (imidacloprid), Acclaim (fenoxaprop) and Chaser (2,4-D and triclopyr)
East
Rochester – Reports no pesticides used.
Fairport
– Reports no pesticides used.
Hilton
– Roundup (glyphosate), Bee Bopper (resmethrin), Black Flag traps
Honeoye
Falls – Reports no pesticides used.
Pittsford
- Roundup (glyphosate) and trees injected.
Scottsville
– Reports no pesticides used.
Spencerport
– Reports no pesticides used.
Webster
– Reports no pesticides used; although originally told Roundup is used.
III. Survey Findings, Continued
City of Rochester Pesticide Use
Tree Age tree trunk injection (emamectin benzoate), 3700 trees to be injected.
Lesco Prosecutor (glyphosate) around Hemlock Lake, City water reservoir for weed growth
Copper sulfate in all City water reservoirs to control algae growth.
Monroe County Pesticide Use
Roads
New York State Department of
Transportation Application
Accord XRT II (glyphosate),
Escort XP (metsulfuronmethyl), Garlon 3A (triclopyr), Krenite (fosamine), Oust
XP (sulfometuron methyl), Pathfinder (triclopr), Pathway (picloram), 2,4-D,
Ranger Pro (glyphosate), Rodeo (glyphosate), Roundup Pro (glyphosate), Roundup
Pro Max (glyphosate). See NYS DOT
website for the schedule of pesticide application dates and locations.
Monroe County Department of
Transportation Application
SFM 75 by Allgare, Glyphosate
4 Plus by Alllgare, Triclopyr 3 by Alllgare (glyphosate, sulfomaturnon methyl,
triclopyr). See NYS DOT website for schedule of pesticide application dates and
locations.
Parks
Roundup (glyphosate)
Golf Courses
Bonner (propiconozole), Compass (trifloxyptrobin), Heritage (azoxystrobin), Baylaton (tebuconazole), Quicksilver (carfentrazone-ethyl), Mecanine (2,4-D, mecoprop and dicamba), Dimension (dithiopyr), Curalon (chlorathanol), Mallice (imidacloprid), Sevin (carbaryl), Emerald (boscalid), Talstar (bifenthrin)
III. Survey
Findings, Continued
Studies of the pesticides above have found that they can cause a wide range of health problems. The following health impacts have been associated with one or more of the pesticides on the list reported:
Cancer
Birth Defects
Reproductive
Neurotoxic
Kidney/Liver
Sensitization/Irritation
Endocrine Disruptor
Harmful to Environment
Ecotoxicity
Information on the toxic effects of pesticides is being developed rapidly and we encourage our readers to consult websites online for the most up-to-date information on health effects. We encourage you to obtain this information from objective sources that have no financial interests in a specific product. It is also very important to make sure the information you obtain is up-to-date, because many of the government websites are 10 years or more out-of- date for some of the chemicals. The following websites on pesticides may be useful to you:
www.caepa.ca.gov
www.epa.gov
www.panna.org
www.beyondpesticides.org
We urge our readers to exercise caution and consider good public health practices. Avoiding exposure to toxic chemicals whenever possible is prudent and protective. In neighborhoods where pesticides are applied, they are applied many times on a weekly or bi-monthly basis throughout the spring, summer, and fall.
IV. Conclusion
Given the serious health
effects of pesticide exposure, our long-term vision for Rochester area
communities is the end of pesticide use for non-emergency purposes. Consumers, employees, and neighboring
residents have no say about the pesticides they are exposed to while shopping,
working, visiting, or living near these locations. Recent applications, even
when posted with signs, cannot be avoided altogether.
Pesticide drift caused by
wind and runoff from rain extend the reach of the toxics well beyond their
intended targets. New York State has
banned the sale of phosphorus fertilizers for residential use (unless
soil testing proves a need), due to the hazards it poses as it runs into ground
water and increases the growth of algae, some dangerous, in our lakes and bays.
Hundreds of communities in
North America have banned pesticide-use
In 2001, the city of
Saratoga, California was one of the first U.S. cities to ban the use of
pesticides. This month, the state of Oregon temporarily banned more than a
dozen pesticides after 50,000 bees were found dead in a Target store parking
lot.
Realizing the dangers to
human and environmental health, the province of Ontario Canada and 172 Canadian
communities have banned the use of pesticides for cosmetic landscaping
purposes. http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/environment/en/category/pesticides/index.htm
The 5,000 members of the
Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment say exposure to
pesticides can lead to serious long-term health problems and are lobbying for a
province-wide ban on homeowner pesticide use in British Columbia.
Rochester is home to the
Golisano Institute for Sustainability at RIT. The City of Rochester, Monroe
County, and local communities have sustainability initiatives in place,
including many energy saving initiatives. It is time we expand our view of
sustainability to include an essential health component and a truly ‘green’
approach to public health and safety – a pesticide-free future for the
Rochester community.
V. Attachments
Empire
State Consumer Project, Inc.
Judy Braiman, President
Landsdowne Lane
Rochester, New York 14618
Re: Government Agency Pesticide Use Survey
Dear Town Supervisors and Mayors:
Empire State Consumer Project (ESCP) is a Rochester based 501c3
not-for-profit consumer group whose mission is to educate the public on issues
related to chemical exposure and product safety. As a follow-up to our survey
of pesticide use on Rochester area commercial properties, ESCP is surveying
government agencies to gather information on the types of pesticides they use.
Would you please help us with our survey by providing us the
following information on pesticides and herbicides used inside
your facilities and on your grounds?
Brand Name
Manufacturer
Purpose
Indoor
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Outdoor
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
We would appreciate your reply by email by April 10, 2014.
Thank you very much for your support.
Sincerely,
Empire State Consumer Project
Look for our lawn signs for sale at local outlets…
This is proprietary information. See below.
Synthetic Turf Chemicals
© RAMP 2007, Rochester , New York
Synthetic turf is increasingly used on playing fields and in parks. It is made in layers of synthetic materials including green plastic blades attached to a backing, small particles called "fill" that secure the blades, and underlying systems for drainage and stability. The fill, often referred to as “crumb rubber”, is of interest because it is usually made from recycled tires containing chemicals that can cause cancer, birth defects and other health problems under some exposure conditions. Many companies supply fill, and it is provided in various forms, so the chemical composition varies. Work has been ongoing to evaluate the various components of synthetic turf fields and the products used to maintain them. The information on this webpage provides an initial summary of screening chemical analyses of some fill products. Additional information will be provided in the future.
Information on fill: collection, analysis, and supporting information
Clean unused samples of fill from five synthetic turf suppliers were collected by RAMP, a Rochester-based consumer protection organization. Laboratory screening analysis was carried out by Paradigm Laboratories in Rochester New York Lexington Massachusetts
The chemicals listed below were found at the range of concentrations shown. The number of samples in which the chemical was found is also listed. The screening analysis had relatively high detection limits, meaning that concentrations of interest for some chemicals (e.g., hundreds of parts per billion) could not be identified. Detection limits varied across the samples due to the sample composition. One analysis of each sample and one sample from each supplier were evaluated. The results below are informative, but further testing and evaluation is required to characterize the chemical composition of fill and of other components of synthetic turf and the products used to maintain the turf.
______________________________________________________________________________
Chemicals Identified in the Screening Analysis of Infill (in Parts per Billion*) © RAMP 2007, Rochester , New York
EPA Analytical Method 8270C was used for the semivolatiles, including the PAHs and n-nitrosodiphenylamine. EPA Analytical Method 8260B as used for the volatiles.
Metals
| ||
Arsenic
|
ND (466 -577) up to 1,010**
|
present in 3 out of 5 samples
|
Cadmium
|
ND (487-577) up to 621
|
present in 3 out of 5 samples
|
Chromium
|
ND (931 to 1,150) up to 1,520
|
present in 2 out of 5 samples
|
Cobalt
|
7,100 to 141,000
|
present in all samples
|
Lead
|
3,810 to 67,200
|
present in all samples
|
Manganese
|
3,460 to 7,500
|
present in all samples
|
Thallium
|
ND (529-693) to 1,490
|
present in 2 out of 5 samples
|
Zinc
|
10,600,000 to 17,000,000
|
present in all samples
|
Semivolatiles
| ||
Phthalates
| ||
DEHP
|
10,800 to 203,000
|
present in all samples
|
Diethyl phthalate
|
ND (3,360-25,000) to 3,100
|
present in 1 out of 5 samples
|
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)***
| ||
Chrysene
|
ND (2,000-25,000) to 3,820
|
present in 1 out of 5 samples
|
Fluoranthene
|
ND (495 to 25,000) to 15,900
|
present in 4 out of 5 samples
|
Pyrene
|
10,700 TO 28,300
|
present in all samples
|
Other
| ||
n-nitrosodiphenylamine
|
ND (2,000-20,000) up to 7,030
|
present in 1 of 5 samples
|
Volatiles (2 samples analyzed)
| ||
Acetone
|
842 to 1,450
|
present in 2 of 2 samples
|
Carbon Disulfide
|
387 to 525
|
present in 2 of 2 samples
|
Chloroform
|
ND (167) to 732
|
present in 1 of 2 samples
|
Ethylbenzene
|
ND (167) to 337
|
present in 1 of 2 samples
|
Methylene Chloride
|
ND (147) to 286
|
present in 1 of 2 samples
|
4-methyl-2-pentanone
|
335 to 11,400
|
present in 2 of 2 samples
|
Tetrachloroethene
|
12.3 to 280
|
present in 2 of 2 samples
|
Toluene
|
ND (167) to 16.8
|
present in 1 of 2 samples
|
Xylene
|
ND (167) to 134
|
present in 1 of 2 samples
|
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
* The information in this table and on this website is proprietary and cannot be duplicated without permission from RAMP. Judy Braiman, the president of RAMP, can be reached at: mip://05513870/judybraiman@frontiernet.net Please indicate your intended use of this information if you request permission to use the data.
** ”ND ” means none detected - the chemical was not found in one or more samples, indicating the concentration could be zero or any concentration up to the detection limit. The range of detection limits reported for each chemical are shown in parenthesis following “ND”. The detection limits were fairly high, exceeding measured levels in some cases (e.g., chrysene), and more problematic, exceeding some health-based reference values (e.g., methylene chloride). For this reason it is important that analyses be done to comprehensively characterize the chemical composition of fill and other components of synthetic turf.
*** It is likely that some chemicals were present in the parts per billion range (e.g., PAHs) that could not be identified in this screening analysis.
© RAMP 2007, Rochester , New York
Additional metals were identified, but were not listed above because they were considered to have limited potential health significance at the concentrations found and in many cases are essential nutrients. These include: magnesium, potassium, sodium, selenium, barium, copper, iron, calcium, and aluminum. They may be of interest and concern with respect to ecological effects, which requires additional investigation. Zinc was listed in the table above even though it is an essential nutrient, because the concentrations found were higher than the soil reference value that was located for this metal.
The concentrations shown in the table above were compared to the New York State and New Jersey
It is very important that further research be done to fully document the concentrations present through detailed (non-screening) analyses in the near future. Conclusions cannot be drawn from screening analyses; however, such analyses can be used to strongly suggest where work is needed to evaluate potential hazards and where situations exist that require precaution from a public health perspective.
The chemicals listed above have the potential to cause serious harm under some conditions, and many are persistent in the environment. There is limited evidence regarding the potential for chemicals present in fill to move from into air, soil, and water under real world conditions. However, many are known to readily move through soil and other media when they are not bound within materials. The likelihood of their release from the fill matrix requires more evaluation under varied real-world conditions. The potential for environmental contamination, human exposures, health impacts, and ecological impacts as a result of the release of chemicals from fill is not fully characterized.
Many questions remain unanswered regarding whether or not there are potential health or ecological hazards that can result from installations of synthetic playing fields. Due to the unresolved public health and environmental issues, it is prudent public health policy to avoid installation of new synthetic turf fields until the health and environmental issues can be fully evaluated. A bill was introduced on October 23rd 2007 to the New York State
Health Information on Chemicals Identified in Fill
There is extensive information on the health hazards of most of the chemicals listed above. Many useful links to health information are provided below. There is not complete consensus for many of the chemicals regarding the types of harm that may occur following exposure, or the level at which that harm can occur. However, in approaching the combination of chemicals that are present in synthetic turf installations, it may be useful to consider the following:
- Long-standing federal health policy regarding carcinogens states that any exposure to a genotoxic carcinogen may pose some risk of cancer, even if that risk is very small at very low doses. See: http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/CFM/nceaQFind.cfm?keyword=Cancer%20Guidelines and especially the special supplemental guidance document regarding cancer risks when exposures occur early in life.
- There is increasing evidence for some neurotoxic metals (e.g., lead) that developmental harm may occur even at very low doses. There may be no threshold or “safe” level of exposure that applies to all members of the public.
- In 1997, a Presidential Executive Order, Protection of Children from Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks emphasized the need to address children’s unique susceptibility and numerous EPA risk assessment guidelines relevant to children’s health issues have been published subsequently (1998 2002, 2005) as summarized in documents available at: http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/CFM/recordisplay.cfm?deid=160003
- There is substantial variation in susceptibility to disease and other types of harm in the human population, as evidenced by the variations we see in people’s health following exposures to hazards such as smoking, radiation, and air pollution. While studies are ongoing to understand these variations, and to provide information that will someday enable people to make more informed decisions regarding their own health, there is very limited information now that would allow prediction of who might be harmed and who would be safe under various conditions of exposure to chemicals. It is essential that the public become better informed regarding the potential hazards that exist in their environment, so that they can make informed choices regarding the health of themselves, their families and communities.
Online Sources of Information
The following sources provide technical information that is freely accessible. Most websites listed below have a search engine that allows you to type in the name of a chemical to locate information. The summaries on most websites don’t cover the range of hazards or address the susceptibilities of some members of the population. In addition, few websites include all available information. Therefore, it is useful to review a number of websites to gain a good understanding of the potential health and environmental issues associated with any chemical.
It is also important to note the date when the information was assembled because some information may be out of date. For the most comprehensive, but highly technical, information available, the last entry below can be used: the National Library of Medicine (NLM). NLM provides access to the listings of all studies published in the peer reviewed literature (primarily journals) across the globe on topics related to health.
Toxnet (National Library of Medicine’s compilation of many databases): http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/index.html
Scorecard Chemical Profile Search: http://www.scorecard.org/chemical-profiles/
Hazardous Substances Data Bank: http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?HSDB
NLM - PubMed is the journal article access portal at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez This website provides a listing of journal articles on specific topics. While abstracts (summaries) of the studies are available for most studies, the full text of the journal articles is usually not available without paying a fee to the publisher. However, the journal articles may be available at a medical library in your area.
Comparative Information from Soil Concentration Limits
A reasonable comparison for fill composition is soil, considering the interest in runoff, offgassing, and other characteristics. There are limited standards for chemical contamination in soil and the information regarding naturally occurring background levels of metals in soil shows wide geographic variations. While the State of New York New Jersey and California
All of these limits can be used as “reference values” for purposes of comparing the levels of chemicals in artificial turf components and the concentrations in soil that result from the artificial turf installations, if soil contamination occurs. The underlying documentation regarding health, chemical releases into air, groundwater contamination, vapor intrusion into homes and other buildings, environmental degradation, and other issues with respect to soil contamination will be informative and useful when considering chemicals present in the components of artificial turf. We will be posting links to the website that contain the New York , New Jersey , and California
The modeling that is incorporated into the development of reference values is extensive and in many cases theoretical rather than empirical (based on real-world observations. The modeling relies on dozens of assumptions regarding the behavior of chemicals in the environment, the behavior of the human population (e.g., how much water they drink), and the natural world (levels of rainfall, composition of soil, etc). Consequently, there is considerable uncertainty incorporated into reference values and they do not necessarily fully protect all people. For example, when “normative” (average) values are used in models to develop reference values, they may not protect all people because by definition many have exposures that are higher than average.
For many chemicals there is limited or no information regarding the impacts of chemicals on children, or on long-term consequences of low level exposures, leading to serious data gaps that limit the reliability of reference values. It is also clear that lists of chemical ingredients do not identify all chemicals present - they itemize only those that were looked for, and only those present at levels sufficiently high to be detected by the laboratory methods used. As a result of the many sources of uncertainty regarding chemical composition and the hazards that chemicals may pose, it is recommended that a protective and precautionary approach be taken when determining the best way to proceed regarding the use of all consumer products. Synthetic turf is no exception, and merits careful review due in part to the very large amount of material that is used in each installation (e.g., tons of fill are applied to the land).
Future information
This website will contain additional information and links to other resources in the future. If you have information that you would like referenced on this website via links to your website or that of other agencies, companies, or organizations, please send the link with a short description of the information to: info [at] sciencecorps.org
© RAMP, Rochester , NY
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