Outdoor & Yard / Products / Artificial Grass (Synthetic Turf with Crumb Rubber Infill)

Artificial Grass (Synthetic Turf with Crumb Rubber Infill) — outdoor safety profile

Elevated risk

Not medical, veterinary, or professional safety advice, and not a substitute for a qualified professional — consult one. Full disclaimer →

Synthetic turf fields and lawns with crumb rubber infill made from recycled tires.

What is this product?

Synthetic turf fields and lawns with crumb rubber infill made from recycled tires. Crumb rubber contains PAHs, heavy metals (lead, zinc, cadmium), volatile organic compounds, and benzothiazole. Athletes and children playing on crumb rubber fields have measurably elevated exposure. EPA/CDC 2019 study found limited but non-zero cancer risk.

What's in it

Click any compound name for its full safety profile, regulatory consensus, and exposure data.

Tire Component

Tire Contaminant

Off Gas Compound

Who's most at risk

  • Children — Developing endocrine and neurological systems, higher exposure per body weight

Red flags — when to walk away

  • Product used in enclosed or poorly ventilated space — Chemical exposure concentrations increase dramatically in enclosed spaces.

Green flags — what to look for

  • Third-party safety certification visible on packaging — Product has been independently tested to applicable safety standards.

Safer alternatives

  • Natural grass fields — Safer alternative to conventional products
  • Cork-infill or coconut fiber-infill synthetic turf — Safer alternative to conventional products
  • TPE — thermoplastic elastomer) infill instead of crumb rubber

Frequently asked questions

Who should be careful with Artificial Grass (Synthetic Turf with Crumb Rubber Infill)?

Vulnerable populations identified for this product type: children.

Are there safer alternatives to Artificial Grass (Synthetic Turf with Crumb Rubber Infill)?

Yes — consider: Natural grass fields; Cork-infill or coconut fiber-infill synthetic turf; TPE. See the Safer alternatives section above for details.

Sources (13)

Citations carried on this product's ALETHEIA record. A bracketed number in the text links to its entry here.

  1. ALETHEIA Safety Database — expert_curation
  2. EPA FIFRA / TSCA (as applicable) · USA — regulation
  3. California Proposition 65 · USA -- California — regulation
  4. IARC Monographs Volume 100F: Benzo[a]pyrene — Chemical Agents and Related Occupations (2012) — regulatory (inherited from a compound record)
  5. US EPA IRIS: Benzo[a]pyrene — Toxicological Review (Final) (2017) — regulatory (inherited from a compound record)
  6. CDC - Lead Poisoning Prevention — cdc (inherited from a compound record)
  7. WHO - Lead Poisoning Fact Sheet (2024) — who (inherited from a compound record)
  8. IARC Monographs Volume 82: Some Traditional Herbal Medicines, Some Mycotoxins, Naphthalene and Styrene — Naphthalene Group 2B Evaluation (2002) — regulatory (inherited from a compound record)
  9. US EPA: Naphthalene — IRIS Toxicological Review, Carcinogenicity Assessment and Reference Concentrations (Group C) (1998) — regulatory (inherited from a compound record)
  10. IARC Monographs Volume 100F: Benzene (2012) — regulatory (inherited from a compound record)
  11. US EPA IRIS Assessment: Benzene (1998) — regulatory (inherited from a compound record)
  12. US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) · USA — regulatory
  13. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) · USA — report

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Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific information. Why we built ALETHEIA →