Recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (CDC-ATSDR) released the second part of the Characterisation of Reclaimed Rubber on Artificial Turf Sites Final Report, which focuses on the characterisation of tyre crumb rubber exposure.
Launched in 2016 as part of the Federal Research Action Plan (FRAP) on recycled tyre crumb used on sports fields and playgrounds, this collaboration between EPA and CDC was designed to examine chemicals associated with tyre crumb rubber.

The study showed no significant differences in exposure to certain chemicals between athletes on crumb-filled rubber artificial turf and natural grass.

Following the release of the report, various stakeholders, including the tyre industry, tyre recycling companies, the artificial turf industry and recycling organisations, praised the importance of the study and the thoroughness with which the EPA completed it.

Thomas Womble, CEO of Liberty Tire Recycling, thanked the organisations involved and emphasised that safety is a top priority. He emphasised that the report is a valuable addition to the existing literature supporting the safety and environmental benefits of recycled rubber.

The results of the study showed that athletes playing on artificial turf filled with crumb rubber were exposed to specific chemicals such as pyrene, benzo(a)pyrene, zinc and lead at levels similar to or even lower than the general public. Air emissions and metal concentrations were comparable to public levels, and there were no significant differences in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

These findings are consistent with previous studies showing that the health risks associated with the use of recycled rubber infill for sports on artificial turf are negligible. While not a risk assessment per se, the results of the study are intended to increase education and understanding of exposure dynamics and may inform future risk assessments, according to the agencies.

Melanie Taylor, president and CEO of the Artificial Turf Council, echoed the support for the report, "We thank EPA for its dedication and time in putting together this report and are pleased to see that it reaffirms what other studies have shown: artificial turf and its system components are safe."

The Recycled Rubber Coalition in Washington, D.C., also welcomed the findings, "This report adds to the growing body of evidence that confirms what we've known for a long time: crumb rubber infill is safe, and crumb rubber turf fields are as safe as natural grass.