Up & Coming Weekly

November 18, 2014

Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.

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22 UCW NOVEMBER 19-25, 2014 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Is Artificial Sports Turf Safe? BY EARTHTALK® - The Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: Is it true that playing on artificial turf fields can cause cancer? If so, how can I minimize exposure for my sports-loving kids? — Melanie Witmer, Syracuse, NY Just when you thought it was safe to play soccer on that brand new synthetic turf field, it may be time to think again. Those little black dirt-like granules that fill up the space between syn- thetic blades of grass and make up some 90 per- cent of today's artificial turf fields are actually ground-up car and truck tires. As such they con- tain a host of potentially noxious chemicals that can lead to a wide range of health problems. Four of the constitu- ent chemicals in these "tire crumbs" (or "tire mulch") as they are called — arsenic, ben- zene, cadmium and nick- el — are deemed car- cinogens by the International Agency for Cancer Research. Others have been linked to skin, eye and respiratory irritation, kidney and liver problems, allergic reactions, nervous systems disorders and developmental delays. While the risk came to light recently when a University of Washington women's soccer coach began to think it might be more than a coincidence that two of her goal- ies were stricken with cancer, researchers have known about such potential links for years. A 2007 report by the Connecticut-based Environment & Human Health Inc. (EHHI) looked at several scientific studies and found definitive connections between various health problems and exposure to synthetic turf. EHHI also reported that kids on playfields are likely to face similar risks as line workers in the rubber fabrication and reclamation industries, where they say health reports show the presence of multiple volatile organic hydrocarbons and other toxic elements in the air. "Studies at tire reclamation sites report leaching of similar sets of chemicals into the ground water," says the group. The Synthetic Turf Council, an industry group, maintains that there is con- siderable evidence pointing to the health safety of synthetic turf. But the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) isn't taking sides, leaving it up to state and local jurisdictions to decide whether or not to allow artificial turf. The EPA would like to see more research done so parents everywhere can have a better idea of the risks involved. Of course, synthetic turf fields aren't all bad. For one, they don't need frequent watering (a grass playing field typically requires 50,000 gallons of water per week during growing season) and doesn't require the application of potentially toxic pesticides. Furthermore, turf is much more durable and less costly to maintain than grass, and players suffer fewer injuries on it since it doesn't turn to slippery mud when wet. Do these pros outweigh the cons? Some schools don't think so and are turning back plans to convert their grass fields to turf. Where it is too late for that, par- ents should warn their little athletes to stay upright as much as possible—turf- related cancers seem to be most common in goalies who spend the most time down on the turf surface. Also, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that those playing on synthetic turf avoid eating or drinking on the field where toxic dust can contaminate food and liquids, wash their hands and body aggressively with soap and water afterwards, and remove clothes worn on the field and turn them inside out before washing them separately from other items. CONTACTS: International Agency for Cancer Research, www.iarc.fr; EHHI, www.ehhi.org; Synthetic Turf Council, www.syntheticturfcouncil.org; CDC, www.cdc.gov. EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a regis- tered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Artificial sports turf is not as safe as it may seem. to the sponsors of the 41st Annual Economic Outlook and Stock Market Symposium Thk Y Duke Energy C&S Commercial Properties Embassy Suites/Hilton Garden Inn Admiral Management International AAIMS, Property Management, Inc. Bleecker Automotive Group Bryan Honda C12 Group City View Fayetteville Regional Chamber of Commerce Duggins Smith Builders …e Fayetteville Observer Fayetteville Otolaryngology First Citizens Bank Hutchens Law Firm PWC RE/MAX Premier Properties Sharon Valentine Systel Business Equipment …e Logistics Company, Inc. Tom Keith & Associates Up & Coming Weekly For information on upcoming CFE events, visit methodist.edu/cfe. HALF PAGE EOS2014 ad_UCW_thank you.indd 1 11/14/2014 11:30:31 AM

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