California Regulators March 10 explained its timeline and projects on synthetic turf over the next two years. Three of the projects are ongoing while two are slated to begin later this year. A sixth task involves ongoing collaborative interaction with others including federal regulators like CPSC and EPA. Highlights of the presentation (bit.ly/2nAvflj) by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment included:
- Hazard Identification: Work has occurred since early in the state's attention beginning in 2015 (PSL, 7/27/15). It should run until at least the end of 2017. It mostly has involved literature reviews to identify chemicals that could be released from turf and crumb rubber.
- Behavior Patterns/Exposure Scenarios: Efforts to better understand time-activity on fields likely will run until early 2018. It targets exposure scenarios of both athletes and bystanders, and it is considering "multiple exposure activities, environments, frequencies and pathways, and ages and sensitivities of play participants."
- Sampling and Analysis: Also estimated likely to run into early 2018, this task is targeting analysis of chemicals in crumb rubber and artificial grass blades.
- Personal/Biomonitoring: Work is about to begin on developing a protocol for activities like analyzing biological specimens. However, the presenters noted, "Any decision to conduct a biomonitoring or personal monitoring study using the protocol would take place at a later date."
- Health Risk Assessment: Likely to begin around early spring 2018 and to run well into 2019, this task is to look at "the potential health impacts associated with the use of synthetic turf fields and playground mats."
