NEWS New crumb concerns
New carcinogens discovered in rubber crumb
It has recently been discovered that the rubber crumb in artificial turf contain even more harmful and carcinogenic substances than had previously been assumed. Furthermore, several of these substances are even more prone to leaking than the substances that had previously been identified as being harmful.
This information was revealed by a new doctoral study conducted by chemist Ewa Skoczynska from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU). According to her supervisor, Jacob de Boer, a professor of environmental chemistry and toxicology, these findings mean that the current standards for rubber crumb should be much stricter.
A total of 46 substances have been found, about half of them are new substances, several of which are carcinogenic or otherwise harmful.
In addition to the group of known carcinogens, Skoczynska also discovered a group of suspected carcinogens. There is also a third group of substances, but nothing is known of their toxicity and more research is needed to establish their effects under specific circumstances.
Up until now, research into the health and environmental risks posed by artificial turf has focused exclusively on the 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that are already known to be carcinogenic and harmful. The current safety standards for artificial turf are based on this knowledge.
According to Professor De Boer and Ms Skoczynska, the standards currently approved by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) are in need of an overhaul because an increased number of toxic substances that are also more prone to leaking from rubber crumb not only increase the risks to the environment, but also the risks to health, especially if they come into contact with skin, which occurs when people play sports on artificial turf. “There are, therefore, much
OBITUARY - Ron Harrod
Touching tributes have been paid to Ron Harrod, the much-loved husband of 67 years to Margaret, Rotarian and founder of the internationally recognised company Harrod UK Ltd who sadly passed away on the 29th December 2020.
The “Slim Dynamic East Anglian” as he was fondly named by a London PR guru was immensely respected and loved by everyone he came in to contact with.
Paying tribute to her father, Stephanie Harrod said “My father was a wonderful, kind generous, supportive man with an entrepreneurial spirit.”
“We had a fantastic working relationship too and he gave us freedom to always try something new.”
“My father was very proud of our achievements and always gave us lots of
4 PC February/March 2021 praise and encouragement.”
“He was a very principled man who had high standards and values, he genuinely believed his motto ‘the customer is king’ and he instilled these values in us, his legacy will live on through us and our amazing team.”
“Above all he was my dad, kind, caring and always there for me”.
Paying tribute to his father, Chris Harrod said, “We managed to have such a good working relationship as well as a true bond as father and son, which is quite rare. I will miss him dearly”
In his personal life, Ron was a highly active Rotarian, and his fundraising raffles and bottle stalls at local events were legendary. Funding all the prizes personally himself, he had a way of getting people to participate because of his endless enthusiasm to local good causes.
stronger indications of greater risks. Rubber crumb contain many more substances,” said Skoczynska.
According to Skoczynska, what is different about the properties of a number of the newly- discovered substances is that, unlike the carcinogens that are already known, these substances leak out of rubber crumb more easily. “This is definitely a problem for the environment.”
The cumulative effect of all these substances together is not yet clear. “We still have a lot to learn in this respect,” said Professor De Boer. According to the professor there is a real likelihood that these substances reinforce each other.
Shortly after Zembla TV’s ‘Dangerous Play’ programme on the health risks of exercising on artificial turf containing rubber crumb, broadcast in 2016 - VU University conducted a study involving zebra fish. When the fish and their embryos were exposed to water containing rubber crumb, the embryos died and the fish displayed behavioural changes.
VU University found that this study indicated that rubber crumb contains more than just PAHs and the 16 substances that are already known to be harmful and it is necessary to identify them. Until we know more some scientists, including toxicologist Martin van de Berg, said that the government should apply the precautionary principle and prohibit sporting activities on artificial turf. The RIVM, however, maintained that it is safe to play on artificial turf.
The VU continued its research into rubber crumb. Skoczynska used a new method to identify unknown substances in rubber crumb.
Using an ultrasonic treatment method enabled her to extract more substances from crumb, which she then screened using an advanced new technique that had not previously been used to measure substances in rubber crumb.
This new technique enabled Skoczynska to identify 46 substances. If this research is continued, she is convinced that she will find even more substances in rubber crumb.
This doctoral research has come at an extraordinary moment. The European Commission is currently reconsidering the future of artificial turf pitches containing rubber crumb in Europe in its efforts to combat environmental pollution caused by microplastics.
The granules in rubber crumb are classified as microplastics. De Boer finds that the newly discovered toxic substances are crucial to determining the new standards to be set by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).
The current standard for rubber crumb is 2000 times less strict than the standard for toys. But because many children play sports on artificial turf containing rubber granules, numerous scientists have been calling for stricter standards for some time. “We now find that PAHs are not the only reason why the standard should become more stringent. Rubber crumb contains many more harmful substances, which is an extra reason for a drastic reduction,” said De Boer.
The professor expects that sports fields containing rubber crumb will eventually become a thing of the past. “I am pretty sure of this. You do not want to run this kind of risk and these types of sports fields are not even necessary.”
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