How safe is synthetic turf? For years, there has been debate on the risk of injuries from playing on synthetic vs. natural turf. Then, the safety of synthetic turf was questioned when athletes who spent a lot of time on the turf started being diagnosed with cancer. The major question for the physician's and researchers has been what role, if any, turf played in cancer. Now, there is concern that the pellets in synthetic turf contain lead and could be problematic for children.
The concern is enough that it is listed on the CDC website as known lead containing substances, but research into how much lead is being absorbed is lacking.
As of right now there are a lot of unanswered questions concerning the safety of synthetic turf. It has been installed in many schools and municipalities across the country because of its ease of use, decreased cost of maintenance, life expectancy and durability. Now, everyone who has a turf field is waiting to see if it is safe for the users.
Before making any determinations, we need a lot more controlled studies that can identify the true risk of synthetic turf. In the meantime, it might be wise to limit amount of time spent on turf to decrease exposure until we know more.
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