Artificial Turf: EHHI's Letter of Concern
We as physicians and health professionals understand that many schools and towns are sensing that they need more playing time on their athletic fields — and as a way of addressing this issue they are turning to installing synthetic turf fields. Synthetic turf fields are usually infilled with 40,000 used tires that make up the crumb rubber infill.
What concerns us as physicians and health professionals is that there is mounting evidence that the rubber tire infill material can be carcinogenic and therefore there could be a health risk for those students and athletes who play on these fields.
We worry that it is possible, in light of the increasing evidence that is being revealed, that students who play on synthetic turf fields may be at risk for health problems. Many of the students who play on these fields have now played on synthetic turf fields for years — thus continuing to play on them simply adds to the students' exposures.
The rubber tire infill has been shown to be particularly dangerous when it is in inside facilities or covered over, because the chemicals concentrate and create greater exposures.
The safest material for students and athletes to play on is grass. We believe that what has happened with synthetic turf fields has been a massive failure of government to protect the public by allowing shredded-up waste tires to get into the marketplace and put where children, students and athletes play. As a result, a generation of children and athletes has been put at risk.
As well, the crumb rubber infill of synthetic turf is extremely dangerous to wetlands and aquatic life.
Thank you for your consideration, Signed:
Pinar H. Kodaman, MD, PhD., Associate Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale University School of Medicine
Hugh S. Taylor, MD, Anita O'Keeffe Young Professor and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale University School of Medicine
Susan Addiss MPH, MUrS, past commissioner of health for the State of Connecticut
Gaboury Benoit, Ph.D., Professor of Environmental Chemistry, Yale School of the Environment
ancy Alderman, MES, President of Environment and Human Health, Inc.
William Petit, MD, Board certified in diabetes, metabolism and endocrinology
David Brown, Sc.D. Public Health Toxicologist; Past Chief of Environmental Epidemiology and Occupational Health at Connecticut's Department of Health
Barry Boyd, MD, Clinical Professor of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, Oncologist at Greenwich Hospital
John Wargo, Ph.D., Professor of Environmental Health and Politics, Yale School of the Environment
Sarah Schellhorn, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine Oncology, with a focus on Breast Medical Oncology, Smilow Cancer Center, Yale University School of Medicine