What do you want on your playground for your kids to fall on? Yup, that’s the question!
I’ve been watching this discussion go on for weeks and find it of interest, I’ll let Alder Marsha Rummel explain.
After discussion with over 30 residents on Wednesday, Parks Supt Kevin Briski agreed to wait until February 2012 to let neighbors work on a plan for the playground material. We decided to create a committee of neighbors and the MNA parks and open space committee to lead the effort. If you are interested please contact MNA Board member and MNA parks committee co-chair Todd Jensen todd.jensen@wisconsin.gov and he will help coordinate a meeting.
The majority of people who attended the meeting and who contacted me by phone or email don’t want shredded tires, including the new polyurethane coated shredded product that is supposed to reduce odors, heat and residue. People attended from south and west-side neighborhoods who are concerned about shredded tires in their parks. Several people said they don’t use their neighborhood parks because of the use of shredded tires.
A sample of the new coated shredded tire product was passed around. If you want to see it in person, check out the new playground at Wirth Ct park on Waubesa St. It is the first installation in the city.
Supt. Briski told the group that the Parks Dept does not- by policy- recommend wood chips, even though it meets safety standards as a playground product, because of concerns about mold, maintenance, and the tendency of wood to stay wet in the rain and turn into solid ice during the colder season.
If the pea gravel stays, some of the equipment will have to be removed because pea gravel does not meet the safety or ‘fall standard’ at 5′. This means the slide and open seat swings would have to go. Several people expressed concern that larger equipment for older kids should be available, we don’t want only equipment smaller than 5′. In response, there was general agreement about the importance of making the playground accessible for a variety of ages and abilities. This lead someone to ask about playground equipment vendors. We requested a list of the approved vendors, see below for links.
One idea was to create two seperated zones -one with pea gravel and the other with material that would permit taller equipment. There was a general preference for wood chips but it would require an coordinated effort to get wood chips approved, given the Parks Depts stated opposition. Or maybe neighbors would agree to the coated tire product if it was used only in a small area under equipment that required higher fall standards.
For more background on shredded tires, scientific studies, etc www.yahararocks.org Thanks to Mike F and Mark A for creating this resource.
There are also budget considerations. We asked for details about when YPP equipment would have been scheduled for replacement if we keep an all gravel playground and want to add new equipment. The MadisonParks Foundation is one option for matching funds. Would neighbors be interested in forming a Friends of Yahara Place Park group to coordinate volunteer efforts for the playground and the park, that could organize a fundraising campaign if needed?
These are some of the issues the neighborhood will need to address. We have some time to figure this out. Please let me or Todd Jensen know if you would like to participate in a YPP playground committee. Thanks~
Yup – that’s about it. Here’s the playground equipment links.
http://www.mnwiplay.com/home.
http://www.playcraftsystems.
http://play-focus.com/default.
http://www.miracleplayground.
http://www.
http://www.timberform.com/
http://www.recbrandsgroup.com/
Also, here’s a report on the health risks with rubber . . .
The potential health impacts of playground mulch derived from scrap tires
October 12, 2011
I. Introduction
The use of crumb and shredded rubber materials in playgrounds and athletic fields has increased in popularity in public recreational facilities across Dane County in recent years. These materials, derived from recycled scrap tires, are often employed as mulch and/or padding to decrease human injury from falls and muscle stress and improve the longevity, resiliency, and drainage of the recreational site1,2. However, toxicity and safety concerns have arisen due to possible human exposure to and environmental contamination by potentially harmful chemical constituents routinely present in rubber materials derived from scrap tires; examples include heavy metals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) 1, 3, 4. The application of crumb and shredded rubber materials on playgrounds and athletic fields has been at the forefront of this concern due to the frequent usage of these facilities by infants, children, and adolescents and the greater likelihood of higher levels of exposure and greater impact among this age group compared to adults1, 3, 5. Due to the widespread usage of the material in Dane County and the presence of public concern of its safety, Public Health Madison and Dane County (PHMDC) conducted a review of the available literature to assess the potential threat to both human health and the quality of the surrounding environment derived from the application of crumb and/or shredded rubber materials to local playgrounds and athletic fields.
II. Use of scrap tire materials on playgrounds and athletic fields
Rubber-based surface materials utilized in playgrounds and athletic field surfaces are typically found as either uncompressed rakeable tire shreds and/or crumb mulch surfaces, fill material in synthetic turf surfaces, and/or as tire shreds coupled with a binding compound to form a permanent surface either poured directly on site or brought to the site in a tile form for installation1, 2. The increasing popularity of these products in recent years has led to an increased demand and expanding market for scrap tire-derived rubber resources. In fact, the broad utilization of crumb and shredded rubber materials account for an estimated 10% of all recycled scrap tire material; coupled with other uses for this material including fuel production, ground rubber products, and civil engineering projects, an estimated 80% of scrap tires annually produced in the United States are recycled3, 6, 7.
III. Human health concerns associated with scrap tire materials
As previously stated, recycled scrap tire rubber materials, including crumb and shredded tire rubber products, contain several organic compounds and heavy metals that may pose a threat to human health and/or environmental quality; additional compounds including plasticizers, dyes, solvents, and surfactants are introduced into the material end products via processing and installation3, 4. The result is scrap-tire products that contain a variety of potentially hazardous organic compounds and heavy metals that include PAHs, VOCs, PCBs, benzene, phthalates, phenols, zinc, arsenic, mercury, copper, and lead; several of these constituents are known carcinogens, irritants, and/or toxicants3,4, 8 . The presence of these chemicals and heavy metals pose concern to human health and environmental quality via direct exposure and leaching into nearby soils and water sources, respectively4, 8.
The most important routes of human exposure are dermal contact with the material, ingestion via hand-to-mouth contacts, and inhalation of components of the tire rubber and/or dust containing scrap tire rubber components1, 3, 8. In addition to the potential hazards derived from the chemical constituents of recycled rubber material, the thermal characteristics of the end product must also be considered in order to fully assess the probable impact of their usage4, 9. Each of these variables is briefly discussed below.
A. Dermal contact
Research suggests that dermal contact with crumb and shredded scrap tire materials from playgrounds and athletic fields is unlikely to result in adverse effects to human health due to low reported concentrations of potential harmful chemical constituents leached from the material and the poor rate of absorption into the skin2, 8. Despite this perceived limited threat from recreational facilities and equipment, dermatitis has been commonly reported among employees of the rubber industry from routine occupational exposure to rubber materials and chemical additives utilized during the manufacturing process3. In addition, research has estimated that 6 to 12% of the US population is allergic to rubber materials resulting in a sizeable high risk population2, 3. Therefore, an allergic response from contact to crumb and shredded rubber materials utilized in recreational facilities is biologically plausible and cannot be ruled out. However, conclusive research specifically linking this potential health risk to dermal contact with scrap tire materials from playgrounds and athletic fields is lacking.
B. Ingestion
Due to a higher frequency of hand-to-mouth activity, this route of exposure is considered more important for infants and toddlers than older children and adolescents1. This risk is further amplified by the rapid neurological and physical development experienced by young children during this formative years; qualities that lead to a greater susceptibility of this population to the health impact resulting from toxic exposures1, 5.
Despite the potential risk posed by the ingestion of crumb and shredded rubber materials, the available medical literature suggests that actual risk is negligible1, 5, 8. For example, results reported by the California Environmental Protection Agency Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) identified the presence of four rubber constituents that were at least three times higher in crumb rubber playground surfaces compared to that of control sites; these constituents consisted of one metal (zinc) and three PAHs (chrysene, fluoranthene, phenanthrene, and pyrene). Although each of these components were elevated in the crumb rubber sites, the estimated levels of each derived from hand-to-mouth ingestion are well below the minimal risk level (MRL) and/or the calculated reference dose (RfD) proposed by federal agencies5. Therefore, this risk of adverse human health impacts resulting from typical acute and/or chronic exposures to crumb and/or shredded rubber materials located on playgrounds and athletic fields is unlikely.
C. Inhalation
The limited research evaluating this route of exposure in playgrounds and athletic fields containing scrap tire rubber products suggests that human health effects are unlikely but the risk cannot entirely be discounted2, 3, 8. For example, inhalation exposure to rubber components in an industrial setting has been repeatedly associated with a variety of respiratory disorders including irritation, chronic cough, shortness of breath, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)3, 10 – 12. Although this data was collected at higher concentrations and more frequent exposures than realistically expected in a recreational setting, the research demonstrates the biological plausibility of adverse human health impacts resulting from inhalation exposure to chemical constituents found in scrap tire rubber materials.
However, additional research specifically evaluating playgrounds and athletic fields, albeit limited, has not identified a human health risk derived from inhalation exposure to crumb and/or shredded scrap tire materials1, 2, 8. For example, two recent studies of synthetic turf containing scrap tire rubber infill indicated the presence of low concentrations of several potentially hazardous compounds released from the fill material; including three known irritants (benzothiazole, n-hexadecane, and 4-(t-octyl) phenol and a human potential carcinogen (butylated hydroxyanisole) in trace amounts3, 8. An additional study conducted by Norwegian Institute of Public Health supported these findings and further suggested that the concentrations of emitted materials were not sufficient to lead to acute and/or chronic health impacts2, 3. Continued research is necessary to adequately explore this issue; this is especially true in terms of respiratory disease initiation and exacerbation previously identified in industrial settings.
D. Thermal injury
Research has repeatedly demonstrated that surfaces composed of scrap tire rubber materials can have considerably higher surface temperatures compared grass or sand surfaces9. In fact, a recent heat radiation study in New York reported that during the summer months the temperature above artificial turf fields ranged from 140 to 160°; the temperatures of these surfaces were among the highest recorded in this investigation and were similar to temperatures recorded for dark roofs and fresh asphalt1. Therefore, prolonged contact with scrap tire rubber playground and/or athletic field surfaces may lead to discomfort, thermal injury, and/or heat related illness9.
IV. Environmental quality concerns associated with scrap tire materials
Although the bulk of the available literature suggests that the installation of scrap tire rubber products in playgrounds and athletic fields does not pose a significant threat to the environment, research in this field remains inconsistent. For example, a study performed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation did not detect levels of chemical leachate deemed adequate enough to lead to environmental toxicity or jeopardize water quality9. A similar study conducted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) examining levels of particulate matter (PM) and metals (including lead) also found environmental toxicity resulting from the usage of crumb and/or shredded rubber products unlikely. In this investigation, concentrations of PM and metals measured above turf fields were similar to background levels of the measured materials while levels at playground sites with high play activity exceeded background levels; despite these higher levels compared to background, all measured levels at all sites (playground and turf sites) where well below National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) and not considered sufficient to impact the quality of the surrounding environment13.
Other investigations have suggested that scrap tire rubber materials release zinc into the soil at levels that can lead to plant toxicity. For example, research has demonstrated that the leaching of zinc from scrap tire rubber materials is reported in higher concentrations than other metals derived from the same source but is highly site specific and dependent upon several environmental factors including temperature, rainfall, acidity, and product wear3, 4 . The leaching of zinc has been associated with decreased plant growth at the site of crumb and/or shredded rubber application and may accumulate in soils resulting in possible localized plant toxicity immediately surrounding the application site; however, rainfall and subsequent runoff aid in the dilution and degradation of elevated levels of zinc4. This runoff has also been suggested to enable zinc concentrations to enter surface waters and jeopardize susceptible aquatic species; an impact that has been reported under experimental conditions utilizing scrap tire materials3. However, these results are derived from dose levels that are much higher than reported concentrations experienced in a field setting.
V. Conclusions
A thorough review of the medical literature suggests that adverse impacts to human health and/or environmental quality from the use of crumb and/or shredded rubber in playgrounds and athletic fields are unlikely. However, due to the limited number of investigations specifically evaluating these sources of exposure to scrap tire derived rubber materials, additional research is needed to fully explore this topic. Despite this cautious necessity, the use of crumb and shredded rubber products has allowed a significant amount of scrap tires to be recycled, improved safety, and increased the lifespan of recreational resources. In addition, these products have further improved individual and community health by reducing available breeding grounds for vectors of disease and the human and financial impact of fall injuries and muscle stress1, 2.
Therefore, coupled with the unlikelihood of acute and long term adverse human and/or environmental health effects, the literature suggests that the use of rubber materials in playgrounds and athletic fields derived from recycled scrap tires does not pose a risk to individual and/or community health or degradation of the quality of the surrounding environmental quality and should be considered a viable option to improve recreational resources.
Prepared by: Jeffery S. Lafferty, Environmental Epidemiologist
Doug Voegeli, Director of Environmental Health
Public Health Madison and Dane CountyVI. References
1. Vidair, C, Haas, R, & Schlag, R. (2007). Evaluation of health effects of recycled waste tires in playground and track products. Available at: http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/publications/Tires/62206013.pdf
2. New York State Department of Health. (2008). Fact sheet: crumb-rubber infilled synthetic turf athletic fields. Available at: http://www.health.state.ny.us/environmental/outdoors/synthetic_turf/crumb-rubber_infilled/fact_sheet.htm
3. Sullivan, JP. (2006). An assessment of environmental toxicity and potential contamination from artificial turf using shredded or crumb rubber. Available at: http://bainbridgenotes.wordpress.com/files/2008/01/sullivanreport.pdf
4. Brown, T, Morse, R, Smith, C, & Urban, M. (2007). Sprague Field Task Force Health and Environmental Sub-group. Report of the Health and Environmental Sub-group. Available at: http://www.superfill.net/downloads/WellSFTF_HE_SubGroup_Report_final_2_.pdf
5. Wigle, DT. (2003). Environmental threats to child health: overview. In DT Wigle, Child health and the environment (pp. 1 – 26). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
6. United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). (2008). Basic information. Available at: http://epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/tires/basic.htm
7. United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). (2009). Ground rubber applications. Available at: http://www.epa.gov/wastes/conserve/materials/tires/ground.htm
8. Crain, W, & Zhang, J. (2007). Hazardous chemicals in synthetic turf: a research review. Available at: http://wardstreetgrassroots.com/wp-content/themes/allure_20/letters/HAZARDOUS%20CHEMICAL_IN_SYNTHETIC_TURF_2007.pdf
9. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. (2009). Study finds crumb rubber turf poses no significant threat to air/water quality. Available at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/54966.html
10. McMichael, AJ, Gerber, WS, Gamble, JF, & Lednar, WM. (1976). Chronic respiratory symptoms and job type within the rubber industry. Journal of Occupational Medicine, 18(9), 611-617.
11. Hnizdo, E, Sullivan, PA, Bang, KM, & Wagner, G. (2002). Association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and employment by industry and occupation in the US population: a study of data from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. American Journal of Epidemiology, 156, 738 – 746.
12. Hnizdo, E, Sullivan, PA, Bang, KM, & Wagner, G. (2004). Airflow obstruction attributable to work in industry and occupation among US race/ethnic groups: a study of NHANES III data. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 46, 126 – 135.
13. United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). (2010). The use of recycled tire materials on playgrounds and artificial turf fields. Available at: http://www.epa.gov/nerl/features/tire_crumbs.html
Seriously? This is why people have a hard time taking Madison seriously.
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don’t forget about JoGo Equipment