Field User Fact Sheet

Field User Fact Sheet

Appendix N1a

Federal Government Study on the Use of Recycled Tire Crumbs in Synthetic Turf Fields

Research Study

Concerns have been raised by the public about the safety of recycled tire crumb rubber used in synthetic turf fields and playgrounds in the United States. In response, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is conducting an exposure measurement study to look at whether or not people who play on synthetic turf fields are exposed to chemicals found in recycled tire crumb rubber.

CDC/ATSDR needs field users to participate in this exposure measurement study.

Your role as a synthetic turf or natural grass field user

The purpose of the exposure measurement study is to determine if people are exposed to chemicals in the tire crumbs on synthetic turf fields. We are including natural grass field users as a comparison. We need synthetic turf and grass field users to:

1. Respond to a questionnaire to provide information about the types of activities performed on these fields.

2. Provide a urine sample before and after an athletic or training activity on the field.

CDC/ATSDR needs at least 200 people who engage in physical activities on synthetic turf or natural grass fields to complete a questionnaire about how they use the fields. The questionnaire will ask field users about the types of activities (sports, physical education and training), how much time they spend on fields and how they come in contact with the field surfaces. In total, participants will spend about 50 minutes in this research study.

COVID-19 Protections

Please be assured that ATSDR will take all necessary steps to protect members of your community from COVID-19. This study will be conducted following all state, local, and CDC guidelines in place at the time the study is conducted. ATSDR team members will be monitored twice daily for fever and any COVID-19-related symptoms and will wear masks and gloves to ensure the protection of participants. Similarly, participants will be monitored for fever and COVID-19-related symptoms prior to their entry into the testing facility and will be asked to wear a face covering or mask. If you do not have a mask, one will be provided to you.

Study Results

Study results will be handled as follows:

• Responses to the questionnaire will be evaluated by CDC/ATSDR.

• The urine samples will be stored and tested for specific chemicals.

• We will not be collecting any personal information (e.g. names, address, etc.), and participants will not receive a copy of their test results.

• Only staff working on the study will be allowed to look at the paper and electronic records.

• Federal policy requires making the data collected publicly available.

• Participant laboratory results will be linked to questionnaire data for research purposes only.

Next Steps

CDC/ATSDR will review the results and prepare a study report that summarizes the biomonitoring results.

For questions or comment, please contact:

Heather Bair-Brake

[email protected]

404.639.3323

Janine Cory

[email protected]

770-488-0967

More information is available – https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/frap/index.html