European group finds minimal health risks with recycled rubber use

The European Chemical Agency (ECHA) has completed and released its evaluation of the health risks to participants who are involved in activities conducted on sports fields using recycled rubber. In its conclusion, the ECHA has determined that the concern for players exposed to the material and for workers who install and maintain it is very low.

ECHA says it will update its evaluation as needed or when new information becomes available.

The evaluation was conducted after the European Commission last June asked ECHA to evaluate the risk to those participating in activities on athletic fields that contained recycled rubber.

The ECHA notes that several hazardous substances are present in recycled rubber granules, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), metals, phthalates, volatile organic hydrocarbons (VOCs) and semivolatile organic hydrocarbons (SVOCs).

However, based on the information available, ECHA concludes there is, at most, a low level of concern from exposure to recycled rubber granules.

The ECHA offered a number of reasons for reaching its conclusion: 

• The concern for lifetime cancer risk is low given the concentrations of PAHs typically measured in European sports grounds.
• The concern from metals is negligible given the data show the levels are below limits allowed in the current toys legislation.
• No concerns were identified from the concentrations of phthalates, benzothiazole and methyl isobutyl ketone as these are below the concentrations that would lead to health problems.

The ECHA adds that while other reports claim volatile organic compounds emitted from rubber granules in indoor halls might cause irritation, in the studies it evaluated, the concentrations of PAHs in recycled rubber granules were well-below the limits for carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic (CMR) substances for consumers in REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals).

Despite its evaluation, ECHA has highlighted several reservations and has offered several actions that should be taken:

• Consider changes to the REACH Regulation to ensure that rubber granules are only supplied with low concentrations of PAHs and any other relevant hazardous substances.
• Owners and operators of existing fields should measure the concentrations of PAHs and other substances in the rubber granules used in their fields and make the information available to interested parties.
• Producers of rubber granules should develop guidance to help manufacturers and importers of (recycled) rubber infill test their material.
• Sports associations and clubs should work with the relevant producers to ensure that information related to the safety of rubber granules in synthetic turfs is communicated in a manner understandable to the players and the public.
• Owners and operators of existing indoor fields with rubber granule infills should ensure adequate ventilation.
• Players on the surfaces that use recycled rubber granules should take basic hygiene measures after playing.

The ECHA is involved in implementing the EU's chemicals legislation. The organisation helps companies comply with the legislation, advances the safe use of chemicals, provides information on chemicals and addresses chemicals of concern.