Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Federal Recycled Crumb Rubber Report
Following the publication of recent federal research on recycled tire crumb used on playing fields and playgrounds, the Coalition provides answers to some of the most frequently asked questions around the report and its findings.
What does this report tell us?
This report adds to a growing body of evidence that confirms what we have long known to be true: crumb rubber infill is safe and crumb rubber turf fields are as safe as natural grass fields.
Who put together this report?
Three different federal agencies, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, worked collaboratively on a federal research action plan over the course of eight years.
What did the federal agencies study when putting together this report?
The agencies divided the study into two parts. The first part, released in 2019, characterizes the components of recycled crumb rubber. Part 1 of the study can be found here. The second part of the study, released in April 2024, examines the potential exposures of people using synthetic turf fields with recycled tire crumb rubber and the methods by which people come into contact with recycled tire crumb rubber. Part 2 of the study can be found here.
The report observed a range of chemicals in tire crumb rubber. Should that be a cause for concern?
No. The EPA noted that the presence of chemicals was expected, as is common with almost all consumer products, and stated in Part 1 of the report that "the presence of a substance does not directly equate with human exposure." In Part 2 of the report, the agencies focused on understanding exposure—the way people come into contact with recycled crumb rubber while using synthetic turf fields—and the associated environmental and physical chemical levels resulting from that exposure, a key component that informs risk. This report offers overwhelming evidence that there is not a risk to using recycled crumb rubber.
The report concluded that air concentrations of chemical compounds around outdoor recycled rubber turf fields were "not different" from the background levels. A biomonitoring study found that metal concentrations in the blood system were "similar to those in the general population" before and after activities on turf fields with crumb rubber infill. The biomonitoring study also found that there were "no differences" for PAHs in bodily fluids between using grass fields or synthetic turf fields with tire crumb rubber infill.
How does the report compare to existing research on recycled tire crumb rubber?
This is the largest research effort ever conducted on this topic in the United States and is the result of a multi-agency, multi-year process. Additionally, the report conducts a thorough literature review and supports the findings of other studies and chemical assessments, including the Netherlands National Institute for Health and Environment, which reported that "the results of this research indicate that playing sports on these fields is safe. The risk to health from playing sports on these synthetic turf fields is virtually negligible."
The report also endorsed the findings of the European Chemicals Agency which concluded that there is "no reason to advise people against playing sports on synthetic turf containing recycled rubber granules as infill material."
Did the Recycled Rubber Coalition or its member companies influence this report?
While we have long supported the premise of this research effort to give better clarity to the public, our members had no influence in shaping the report's content or release.
Are more tests and studies needed to better understand this topic?
While the Recycled Rubber Coalition welcomes further peer-reviewed research into the safety of crumb rubber, this product is one of the most extensively evaluated consumer products on the market today. Crumb rubber has been thoroughly tested, in multiple conditions and formats, by many peer-reviewed entities at the state, federal, and international level. Throughout, the conclusions have always remained that recycled rubber poses no threat to human health Additional studies will only consume additional resources.