California Report Calls Synthetic Turf Safe

Cheektowaga, NY (October 23, 2009) – A-Turf®, a national synthetic turf field builder hails the recently-released report by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), regarding the safety of new generation artificial turf, as an important step for the synthetic turf industry.

The report entitled “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 Staphylcoccus Aureus (MRSA), found no connection between cancer causing chemicals and MRSA and synthetic turf.

OEHHA based its finding on data from five prior studies, including the Dye et al. study (2006) and New York State studies (2009), and through conducting a test scenario to determine the exposure and health risks of an athlete playing on an artificial turf field from age 5 until 55 for nearly 100 chemicals. The results of this test showed the risk of exposure to cancer causing chemicals and bacteria a negligible risk level – with “estimated risks lower than many common human activities.” The report also reiterated previous studies, which concluded that synthetic turf fields studied did not constitute a serious public health concern.

“As a parent and an athlete, I stand behind the public’s need to be fully educated when it comes to protecting themselves and our children,” says Jim Dobmeier, President and Founder of A-Turf. “Scientific study after scientific study say the same thing – synthetic turf is safe. Having yet one more report validating what we have long known to be true should be welcome and reassuring news for parents and coaches.”

Safety is at the forefront of every A-Turf field built. As a member of the Synthetic Turf Council, A-Turf takes every precaution to use only materials that are tested and proven.
A-Turf has long manufactured and installed responsible and environmentally friendly fields. Each field uses hundreds of thousands of pounds of recycled rubber in its infill and saves millions of gallons of water and hundreds of pounds of chemicals, such as pesticides and fertilizers, each year. A-Turf is part of ECORE™ International, an industry leader in manufacturing innovative, sustainable products.

A-Turf and sister company, Surface America®, are headquartered in Cheektowaga, NY. A-Turf sets the standard in the synthetic grass industry, creating and installing athletic surfaces for colleges, universities, schools, and park districts across the nation. Surface America is recognized as the playground surfacing leader, developing and installing surfacing systems for playgrounds, as well as trails & pathways, gymnasiums, fitness facilities and specialty areas. For more information visit www.aturf.com or www.SurfaceAmerica.com