A new study from the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) and the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) examining the potential health risks of synthetic turf fields for athletes, referees, coaches, and spectators found no significant risk from exposure on or off the field to crumb rubber infill. The study is consistent with other peer-reviewed studies, including one from the U.S. EPA, Centers for Disease Control, and Consumer Product Safety Commission published last year.
CalOEHHA’s mission is to protect and enhance the health of Californians and the environment of the state through scientific evaluation that informs, supports, and guides regulatory and other actions. CalEPA’s mission is to restore, protect, and enhance the environment and ensure public health, environmental quality, and economic vitality.
“The California study adds to the definitive body of evidence that crumb rubber infill is safe to use in our communities,” said Scott Gerber, spokesman for the Recycled Rubber Coalition. “These findings should give our leaders confidence that products using recycled rubber play a vital role in keeping communities active, healthy and safe. We thank CalEPA and CalOEHHA for their deep evaluation and rigorous study of this important issue.”
The report examined the potential health risks associated with the use of synthetic turf fields containing crumb rubber by athletes, referees, coaches, and spectators. The report concluded that long-term use of these fields does not result in exposures to chemicals that pose significant non-cancer health hazards or to sensory irritants (i.e., chemicals that can cause irritation of the eyes or airways). The report also found that the cancer risks from the crumb rubber infill used in the artificial turf fields are “insignificant” for athletes, coaches, and referees.
The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) contracted with OEHHA in 2015 to conduct the study. The report’s findings are the result of a multi-agency effort including the Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology Branch, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and the CalEPA.
The full report can be found at: https://oehha.ca.gov/sites/default/files/media/2025-03/DraftTurfReport031325.pdf.