CalRecycle's October released study on artificial turf has been getting some press lately, including this article in The San Francisco Chronicle. The article explains that the study's findings on the health risks associated with using artificial turf on athletic and sports fields, which conclude that abrasions are most likely the only health risk.
Detractors of artificial turf like to say that bacteria found in artificial turf, not natural grass, leads to more infections, but the study has found the evidence toward that claim to be inconclusive.
However, the study did find a higher percentage of abrasions with artificial turf. The article states, "That college soccer players suffer far more skin abrasions when they play on artificial turf than with natural grass. [The study] recommends working to prevent those abrasions, in part through protective clothing and equipment."
The MRSA issue has mostly likely been related to the higher level of abrasions. The report does not mention that soil has an ecosystem which includes beneficial bacteria and micro-organisms not present in/on artificial turf. THey don't even address the health issues associated with the high heat levels! And why did they choose 4 ft high for their monitoring heights? children don't reach 4ft on average until 9-10 yrs old and their breathing air space is more like 3.5 ft. Younger children and the athletes ending up in the rubber and plastic of course are much lower!
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