gtaylor@tnonline.com

A Feb. 22 vote by Bethlehem Area School Board members on a $4.5 million turf field project for both Freedom HS and a BASD field and track may have hit a snag following the announcement last Friday that three federal agencies are going to work together to review safety issues associated with crumb rubber artificial turf used in playing fields and playgrounds.

The Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a plan Friday to answer questions raised about synthetic turf made from recycled tires and possible risks for young athletes. They hope to have a report issued by the end of the year.

Friday’s announcement came three weeks after two senators asked the Obama administration to examine concerns about health risks associated with exposure to artificial playing surfaces.

“Parents and athletes of all ages want and deserve conclusive answers on whether exposure to crumb rubber turf can make one sick,” said Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.). Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) joined Nelson in requesting federal action.

According to the NBC News website, the plan calls for scientists to test different types of crumb rubber to determine what chemical compounds they contain and whether they are released when a person comes into contact with them. NBC News recently ran a series of reports on safety issues associated with artificial turf and play surfaces.

While critics and supporters of crumb rubber turf don’t agree on whether the surface poses a health risk – the industry says studies have shown no link with illness, while some parents and activists demand more testing – all sides want federal regulators to take a clear public position

“We hope the federal government’s involvement, which we have been encouraging for years, will settle this matter once and for all, put parents’ minds at ease, and validate past and recent due diligence by public officials,” read a statement by the Synthetic Turf Council, an industry group, following Friday’s announcement.

“We have consistently said that we support all additional research,” said in a statement. “At the same time, we strongly reaffirm that the existing studies clearly show that artificial turf fields and playgrounds with crumb rubber infill are safe and have no link to any health issues.

Peter Crownfield has been a critic of Bethlehem School District’s plan to install artificial turf.

“Just like the tobacco companies 60 years ago, turf manufacturers assure us it’s safe – but so far, nearly 200 student athletes have developed lymphoma and other cancers after playing on synthetic turf,” Crownfield said in a letter to the editor in last week’s Bethlehem Press.

Crownfield coordinates the sustainability and health initiative for the Alliance for Sustainable Communities–Lehigh Valley, a coalition working to sustain and enhance the quality of life in the area.

“In my opinion, the only responsible course of action for BASD (and other schools) is to rule out any use of synthetic turf at this time – instead of rationalizing the reasons why synthetic turf is okay, the administration should devote its considerable ability, skill, and resources to finding ways to succeed without exposing children to potential health risks,” Crownfield said following Friday’s announcement. “Installing synthetic turf in the face of these risks is reckless, gambling with the long-term health of the children.”

BASD administrators also saw the announcement, and responded to inquiries over the weekend.

Board President Mike Faccinetto said, “I have seen the announcement and certainly think this is warranted given the media reports. Hopefully a thorough and comprehensive review by the Feds will put some of the concerns to rest. According to the release they are launching this for 3 reasons: To identify what is in recycled tire crumb, identify ways in which people may be exposed to it, and determine if it is harmful.

I still believe the fields are safe and it doesn’t change my support of our projects.”

Likewise, Superintendent Dr. Joseph Roy continues to lean toward using the new surfaces, stressing the government agencies are not actually performing an exhaustive investigation.

“It looks like they will conduct a review of the existing literature to determine areas where the current research could be extended,” Roy said. “The district has reviewed a number of recent (less than a year old) reviews of the scientific literature related to crumb rubber/turf conducted by the county (in Virginia) and state (Massachusetts) as well as an independent review by a materials science firm on the West Coast. All these recent reviews concluded there is no scientifically valid research that links crumb rubber in turf to cancer.”

The complete background on the federal review can be found on the EPA website at http://www.epa.gov/chemical-research/federal-research-recycled-tire-crumbs-used-playing-fields