lead? in AstroTurf?

[walkitout]

Are you _serious_? It's there for "color stabilization". _That's_ a worthy cause. Supposedly, newer fields have less lead in them. Do _you_ feel encouraged?

The CPSC has decided that this is A-OK and poses no risk to children, which as far as I'm concerned, is just further evidence that CPSC has sold itself so many times it long ago lost track.

It gets better: "cadmium, zinc and benzene" in the tire crumbs used to cushion the field.

Further investigations from other agencies to follow later in the year. Sensibly, at least some of these will look at a wide range of possibly dangerous chemicals, and look into the possibility that someone might not only inhale stuff out-gassing in the sun, but also face plant and therefore ingest, or fall and abrade and get some in through a cut in the skin. There are also water runoff concerns.

Very NY-centric coverage here:

http://www.newsday.com/sports/ny-liturf0731,0,4643528.story

Comments

come on. let the kids play.

[(Anonymous)]

You know, my kids have been playing on the stuff for years now and I have not heard of ONE occasion where any of my children's teammates or opponents have suffered any health risks due to the lead content in the field. Children's toys and tiled flooring contains more lead! Come on, Let the kids play.

Re: come on. let the kids play.

[walkitout]

While the CPSC decided this posed no risk to children, I gotta say, it's not like the under 18 crowd is the only group exposed to this particular risk. We've been recalling children's toys like mad lately; I can't really speak to tiled flooring.

When I used to go to the range a few times a month (which I don't do for a variety of reasons anymore, not least of which is all my guns are on the other side of the country), I saw a whole lot of people who didn't seem to have any awareness of the lead poisoning risks associated with indoor ranges. Whenever I brought a new friend with me to show them that, in fact, putting holes in paper was Pretty Damn Fun, I was emphatic about not eating or drinking or having food in a bag that went into the range proper. I also made sure they washed their hands and arms and face before we went out for beer after, and knew to wash their hair before going to bed, and put their clothes in the wash when they got home.

A lot of regular range-goers thought this was a little extreme. But the people who worked at the range and who had been diagnosed with lead poisoning (and I mean that seriously, not in the shot-themselves sense) and had to be treated for it thought it was quite sensible. They had strong opinions about which ranges in the area had adequate ventilation -- and which were threatening the health of their patrons and, more importantly, their employees by having inadequate ventilation.

YMMV, obviously. I'm certainly in favor of children playing.

Lead in Tiles: Was: Re: come on. let the kids play.

[walkitout]

Lead in tiles -- I can't speak to it, but this guy can:

http://www.ctioa.org/reports/fr79.html

Interesting stuff, particularly imported tiles. I don't have any tiles anywhere in either my current home or my condo. But I _used_ to have tiled bathroom counters in the condo and it didn't even _occur_ to me (or the guy who did the work) to think about lead abatement as a possible concern when demo'ing the tile counters.

And I never thought twice about prepping food on a tiled countertop in an old house in Ballard I used to rent. 'Course, I wasn't pregnant and didn't have small children back then, either.

Live and learn. I realize it was not your intent to draw attention to this issue as something worth worrying about, but I appreciate the information anyway.