Health, Environment and Regulation
Numerous scientific studies were conducted on the potential impact end-of-life tyres products on human health. Most of the studies were focused on the use of rubber granulates in synthetic turfs, given that it is the main existing application where people are directly exposed to recycled rubber, on a regular basis. For the time being, they overall show that rubber granulates have no significant impact on human health.
Some recent governemental studies confirmed these conclusions:
- In February 2017, the European Chemical Agency (ECHA) issued a report and a press release: according to their litterature review, recycled rubber infill causes a very low level of concern.
- In February 2017, RIVM (Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment) also published a report giving similar conclusions (no increasing risks of leukemia).
- In January 2017, the Washington State Department of Health released a report about cancer among soccer players in Washington State. It did not show increased rates of cancer among players on synthetic turfs.
The environmental impact of rubber in synthetic turfs has also been analysed in several studies. One of the study was conducted in France: Environmental evaluation (Aliapur/Ademe/Tarkett, 2007).
Leaching
Some elements, like zinc, can leach into the rain water. However the measured concentrations in the percolates were well below the regulatry limit:
From an ecotoxological point of view, the nature of the percolates having passed through a 3rd generation artificial pitch are proven to be without impact on the environment, irrespective of the type of filling granulates.
VOCs emission
The emission of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) was also assessed:
In conclusion to its study, the INERIS stipulates that the health risks associated with the inhalation of VOC and aldehydes emitted by artificial surfaces on pitches in outdoor situations give no actual cause for concern as regards human health.
PAHs
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are molecules that attract attention for their potential threat to human health. PAH-containing extender oils have been used legally in car tyres until 2009. But since January 1, 2010, an EU-wide threshold value for PAH-containing extender oils in car tyres has been in effect (REACH Regulation (EC) No.1907/2006). This restriction bans the use of extender oils for producing car tyres or tyre parts if these contain more than 1 mg/kg of benzo[a]pyrene or if the overall contents of all PAHs listed is more than 10 mg/kg. If the manufactured tyres and tyre treads exceed the specified limits, they may no longer be marketed since the beginning of 2010, which includes re-treaded tyres. This regulation ensures that end-of-life tyres products coming from European tyres have a low PAH content.
On-going
2017
- An evaluation of the possible health risks of recycled rubber granules used as infill material in synthetic turf (ECHA, EU, 2017)
- Evaluation of health risks of playing sports on synthetic turf pitches with rubber granulate (RIVM, Netherlands, 2017)
- Investigation of Reported Cancer among Soccer Players in Washington State (Washington State Department of Health, USA, 2017)
2015
- Crumb Rubber Review (Alexandria Health Department, USA, 2015)
- Mutagenic Potential of Artificial Athletic Field Crumb Rubber at increased temperature (Dorsey et al., The Ohio Journal of Science, 2015)
- Leaching of DOC, DN, and inorganic constituents from scrap tires (Selbes et al., Chemosphere, 2015)
2014
- Environmental and Health Impacts of Artificial Turf: A Review (Cheng et al., Environ. Sci. Technol., 2014)
- Investigation of PAH and other hazardous contaminant occurrence in recycled tyre rubber surfaces. Case-study: restaurant playground in an indoor shopping centre (Celeiro et al., International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, 2014)
- Release of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Heavy Metals from Rubber Crumb in Synthetic Turf Fields: Preliminary Hazard Assessment for Athletes (Marsili et al., Journal of Environmental & Analytical Toxicology, 2015)
- Assessing the environmental impact of shredded tires as embankment fill material (Hennebert et al., Can. Geotech. J., 2014)
2013
- Review of the Human Health & Ecological Safety of Exposure to Recycled Tire Rubber found at Playgrounds and Synthetic Turf Fields (RMA, USA, 2013)
- Artificial Turf Football Fields: Environmental and Mutagenicity Assessment (Schilirò et al., Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 2013)
- New approach to the ecotoxicological risk assessment of artificial outdoor sporting grounds (Krüger et al., Environmental Pollution, 2013)
- Hazardous organic chemicals in rubber recycled tire playgrounds and pavers (Llompart et al., Chemosphere, 2013)
- Environmental–sanitary risk analysis procedure applied to artificial turf sports fields (Ruffino et al., Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2013)
- Development of Leaching Procedures for Synthetic Turf Systems Containing Scrap Tyre Granules (Kalbe et al., Waste and Biomass Valorization, 2013)
- Bioaccessibility and Risk of Exposure to Metals and SVOCs in Artificial Turf Field Fill Materials and Fibers (Pavilonis et al., Risk Analysis, 2013)
2012
- Automobile Tires—A Potential Source of Highly Carcinogenic Dibenzopyrenes to the Environment (Sadiktsis et al., Environ. Sci. Technol., 2012)
- Zinc Leaching from Tire Crumb Rubber (Rhodes et al., Environ. Sci. Technol., 2012)
2011
- Artificial-turf playing fields: Contents of metals, PAHs, PCBs, PCDDs and PCDFs, inhalation exposure to PAHs and related preliminary risk assessment (Menichini et al., Science of The Total Environment, 2011)
- Benzothiazole Toxicity Assessment in Support of Synthetic Turf Field Human Health Risk Assessment (Ginsberg et al., J Toxicol Environ Health A., 2011)
- An Evaluation of Potential Exposures to Lead and Other Metals as the Result of Aerosolized Particulate Matter from Artificial Turf Playing Fields (New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, USA, 2011)
- Design of a new test chamber for evaluation of the toxicity of rubber infill (Gomes et al., Toxicol. Mech. Methods, 2011)
- Crumb Infill and Turf Characterization for Trace Elements and Organic Materials (Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, USA, 2011)
2010
- Safety Study of Artificial Turf Containing Crumb Rubber Infill Made from Recycled Tires: Measurements of Chemicals and particulates in the Air, Bacteria in the Turf, and Skin Abrasions Caused by Contact with the Surface (CalRecycle, USA, 2010)
- Human Health Risk Assessment of Artificial Turf Fields Based Upon Results from Five Fields in Connecticut (CTDPH, USA 2010)
- Artificial Turf Field Investigation in Connecticut (University of Connecticut, USA, 2010)
- Artificial Turf Study: Leachate and Stormwater Characteristics (Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, USA, 2010)
- Study of Crumb Rubber Derived from Recycled Tires (Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, USA, 2010)
- Characterization of substances released from crumb rubber material used on artificial turf fields (Li et al., Chemosphere, 2010)
- Review of the Impacts of Crumb Rubber in Artificial Turf (University of California, USA, 2010)
- Toxicological Assessment of Coated versus Uncoated Rubber Granulates Obtained from Used Tires for Use in Sport Facilities (Gomes et al., Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, 2010)
2009
- A Scoping-Level Field Monitoring Study of Synthetic Turf Fields and Playgrounds (EPA, USA, 2009)
- Air Quality Survey Of Synthetic Turf Fields Containing Crumb Rubber Infill (New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, USA, 2009)
- An Assessment of Chemical Leaching, Releases to Air and Temperature at Crumb-Rubber Infilled Synthetic Turf Fields (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, USA, 2009)
2007
- Evaluation of Health Effects of Recycled Waste Tires in Playground and Track Products (OEHHA, USA, 2007)
- Chemicals and Particulates in the Air Above the New Generation of Artificial Turf Playing Fields, and Artificial Turf as a Risk Factor for Infection by Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) (OEHHA, USA, 2007)
- Examination of Crumb Rubber Produced from Recycled Tires (CAES, USA, 2007)
- Nitrosamines released from rubber crumb (RIVM, Netherlands, 2007)
- Environmental and health evaluation of the use of elastomer granulates (virgin and from used tyres) as filling in third-generation artificial turf (Aliapur/Ademe/Tarkett, France, 2007)
2006
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