Below research provided by Maria Abernathy and presented on the January 27, 2015 meeting
Is rubber playground mulch carcinogenic?
After searching many websites (documented below), I could find no scientific studies which corroborated a link between rubber playground mulch and cancer. I avoided manufacturerΚΌs sites, to avoid bias. I did find many anecdotal reports of concern about rubber mulch (Natasha Harris has included these in her much-appreciated handout). It appears that more research is warranted.
N.B. My search was limited only to the question of rubber mulch and carcinogenic effects in humans. I did not search pros and cons of alternate materials, such as wood mulch and pea gravel mulch.
Maria Abernathy
1/27/15
www.epa.gov/nerl/features/tire_crumbs.html - EPA conducted a limited-scale study of synthetic turf fields (which use rubber mulch pellets), but drew no comprehensive conclusions because of the few study areas they could access, the variability in rubber crumb materials, and possible overestimation of metals concentration
by aggressive acid extraction procedure. “Because understanding human uptake or absorption is a key component in understanding risk, methods to determine bioavailable metal concentrations are still needed.”
www.cpsc.gov 11/2010 - Public Playground Safety Handbook Pub. #325, p. 17 – Recommends rubber tire mulch, along with certain wood mulches or pea gravel, as acceptable playground
surfaces. Cautions that rubber tire mulch products should be inspected before use to ensure that all metal has been removed.
www.consumerreports.org 3/31/2009 – Recommends rubber mulch for plant beds. Cautions regarding use of the rubber for playground surfaces because it may contain small pieces of steel or nylon. Notes that their testing showed “very low levels of lead...comparable to or
Is rubber playground mulch carcinogenic?
After searching many websites (documented below), I could find no scientific studies which corroborated a link between rubber playground mulch and cancer. I avoided manufacturerΚΌs sites, to avoid bias. I did find many anecdotal reports of concern about rubber mulch (Natasha Harris has included these in her much-appreciated handout). It appears that more research is warranted.
N.B. My search was limited only to the question of rubber mulch and carcinogenic effects in humans. I did not search pros and cons of alternate materials, such as wood mulch and pea gravel mulch.
Maria Abernathy
1/27/15
www.epa.gov/nerl/features/tire_crumbs.html - EPA conducted a limited-scale study of synthetic turf fields (which use rubber mulch pellets), but drew no comprehensive conclusions because of the few study areas they could access, the variability in rubber crumb materials, and possible overestimation of metals concentration
by aggressive acid extraction procedure. “Because understanding human uptake or absorption is a key component in understanding risk, methods to determine bioavailable metal concentrations are still needed.”
www.cpsc.gov 11/2010 - Public Playground Safety Handbook Pub. #325, p. 17 – Recommends rubber tire mulch, along with certain wood mulches or pea gravel, as acceptable playground
surfaces. Cautions that rubber tire mulch products should be inspected before use to ensure that all metal has been removed.
www.consumerreports.org 3/31/2009 – Recommends rubber mulch for plant beds. Cautions regarding use of the rubber for playground surfaces because it may contain small pieces of steel or nylon. Notes that their testing showed “very low levels of lead...comparable to or
lower than lead levels in soil around homes.”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=21797769 2011 – Human health risk assessment of synthetic turf fields based upon investigation of five fields in Connecticut. (National Institutes of Health) – “Rubber is a complex mixture with some components possessing toxic and carcinogenic properties. Exposure is possible via inhalation.” Samples were assessed from indoor and outdoor synthetic turf fields, for adult and child risk levels. Conclusion: “Cancer and noncancer risk levels were at or below de minimis levels of concern. The scenario with the highest exposure was children playing on the indoor field.”
www.ipema.org - IPEMA (International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association) – Toni Hudson forwarded this to me. The organization “encourages its members to follow the guidelines of the CPSC” which publishes the Public Playground Safety Handbook (See above citation).
Eanes ISD Facilities management office – 1/22/15: Reports that Eanes schools use artificial turf, pea gravel, and wood chips in playground areas.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=21797769 2011 – Human health risk assessment of synthetic turf fields based upon investigation of five fields in Connecticut. (National Institutes of Health) – “Rubber is a complex mixture with some components possessing toxic and carcinogenic properties. Exposure is possible via inhalation.” Samples were assessed from indoor and outdoor synthetic turf fields, for adult and child risk levels. Conclusion: “Cancer and noncancer risk levels were at or below de minimis levels of concern. The scenario with the highest exposure was children playing on the indoor field.”
www.ipema.org - IPEMA (International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association) – Toni Hudson forwarded this to me. The organization “encourages its members to follow the guidelines of the CPSC” which publishes the Public Playground Safety Handbook (See above citation).
Eanes ISD Facilities management office – 1/22/15: Reports that Eanes schools use artificial turf, pea gravel, and wood chips in playground areas.
No comments:
Post a Comment