ETRA takes stance on crumb rubber infill

ETRA says recent claims that recycled tyre rubber has a harmful effect on sports players who come into contacts with the rubber infill are unfounded. Despite two decades of research on the subject,  no empirical research links tyre rubber to cancer, the association says. 

 

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists some 41 independent projects using tyre rubber, none of which find any harmful effects of using the material in sports infill, according to ETRA. The Synthetic Turf Association lists another 10 such reports, while 2007 ETRA ‘Artificial Turf Compendium’ cites more than 50 studies on the issue.

 

According to Dr. Ettore Musacchi, a researcher for the association, an investigation carried out by the city of Turin, Italy, showed no significant difference between the levels of potential contaminants from sports fields and those sampled in the local urban area or on heavily trafficked streets. Musacchi added that this was a complex situation and it needed addressing by all those involved. 

 

ETRA says it working with the European Rubber Chemicals Association (ECHA) and other bodies to look into the issue. 

 

The European Commission has requested ECHA’s Risk Management Unit review the available evidence and scientific literature on crumb rubber and PAHs and to analyse the findings of the EPA regarding crumb rubber. 

 

ETRA says that, with some 39% of recycled tyre rubber being directed to sports surfaces, any adverse outcome of such research would be incredibly damaging to the tyre recycling sector and would create a crisis in waste tyre management, as Europe already has an oversupply of tyre derived stock and relies on exporting its scrap tires to India and other markets to prevent stockpiling in Europe.