Group wants Vancouver to axe artificial turf fields after lab test confirms lead

A laboratory test revealing lead inrubberturf pellets from aVancouver parkis causing some local citizensto ask officials toremovethe faux fields.

A group of citizens sent samples from playing fields atTrillium Park in Vancouver's Strathcona neighbourhoodto a Burnaby, B.C., environmental testing lab called Total Safety Services. Theyreceived the results last month.

Asample of rubber infill contained 15.9 micrograms of lead per gram. The amount isbelow the allowable limitof90 micrograms of lead per gram insurface coatings like paint, according to the Federal Canada Consumer Product Safety Act.

Any amount of lead is unacceptable to Janet Brown and other advocates Peter Nicol andMarlene Cummings, who are worried about the environment and people's health.

"This needs to be shut down. This pollution needs to stop," Brown said.

Rubber crumb isspread across syntheticturf playing fieldsto helpthe green fibres stand upright, stabilize the surfaceand provideshock resistance.

It doesn't always stay put though. Bits of the rubber crumb find their way tonearby shrubs and grass, as well as inside storm sewers.

But Vancouver Coastal Health said there is no public health reason for discontinuing the use of synthetic turf.

"Serious health risks, including cancer, are not increased from playing on synthetic turf fields with crumb rubber infill," the organization said in a statement.

The statement said the health authority always recommends purchasing turf materials with the lowest lead content available.

Rubber pellets found in storm sewers

Brown pointed out a number of storm sewer drains located directly outside the playing field that were filled with green plastic turf and rubber pellets.

"Here we have pollution that is heading straight towards the drains,towards the fish habitat, going into the food chain," she said.

The park board said thedrainage systems are designed to capture the infill and other material before it leaves the site.

"The presence of infill material at the bottom of the catch basins shows that the system is functioning as designed," said communications coordinator Daria Wojnarski in a statement.

Options for artificial turf

The Park Board said in a report in April that it wants to increase the numberof synthetic turf fields.

There are currently 12 of them in Vancouver, and another 15 either completed or under constructionin Surrey.

The fields help meet an increasing demand for sports facilities. Turf sports fieldsequipped with lighting can accommodate 50-80 hours a week of play, compared to 14 hours a week for natural grass which is less resilient, according to the park board.

However, the group's findings seem to have had an impact on some members oftheVancouver Board of Parks and Recreation.

On April 15, a motion involving the installation of a new synthetic turf field at Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School was amended by Commissioner John Irwin.

It now instructs staff to explore more organic and sustainable infill options, as well as possible storm water filtration.

"In New York, they're using cork coconut fibre type crumb instead of the rubber tire crumb," Irwin said.

He said the remaining artificial turf fields need to be studied and remediated if necessary.