WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
(CPSC) staff today released its evaluation of various synthetic
athletic fields. The evaluation concludes that young children
are not at risk from exposure to lead in these fields. CPSC
staff evaluation showed that newer fields had no lead or
generally had the lowest lead levels. Although small amounts of
lead were detected on the surface of some older fields, none of
these tested fields released amounts of lead that would be
harmful to children. Lead is present in the pigments of some
synthetic turf products to give the turf its various colors.
Staff recognizes that some conditions such as age, weathering,
exposure to sunlight, and wear and tear might change the amount
of lead that could be released from the turf. As turf is used
during athletics or play and exposed over time to sunlight, heat
and other weather conditions, the surface of the turf may start
to become worn and small particles of the lead-containing
synthetic grass fibers might be r