EPA Not Entirely Confident Playground Turf Is Safe For Children
WASHINGTON -– The Environmental Protection Agency has quietly updated its website in response to a complaint that its public information on artificial turf made from old tires understated potential concerns about safety.
The recycled tire parts, sometimes called "tire crumb," are used to make pliant surfaces for playgrounds, tracks and playing fields. There are concerns that the tires contain lead and other harmful chemicals, putting children who play on the turf at risk.
In a November 2009 study and an accompanying press release and webpage, the EPA stated there was only a "low level of concern" about potential health risks posed by toxic chemicals in tire crumb. But earlier this year, the watchdog group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility accused the agency of downplaying potential health concerns and asked it to rescind the findings. The EPA study involved only a few sites, PEER said in its complaint, making it "inaccurate, incomplete, and unreliable."
PEER announced Monday that the EPA had agreed to add a disclaimer to its original press release noting that it is "outdated," and redirect visitors to another website that more accurately reflects the state of the science on tire crumb.
