Artificial turf may be unhealthy

From the Daily News:

It may be time to take a closer look at the artificial turf your kids play on.

An NBC News investigation into the fake grass raises the possibility that it leads to cancer, especially those of the blood.

Seattle soccer coach Amy Griffin has made a list of 38 U.S. soccer players who have been diagnosed with cancer, 34 of them goalies who have constant contact with artificial turf. Though no research has said the material causes the disease, Griffin believes the black crumbs made of synthetic fibers and old tire bits that get kicked up by regular play can get into players' bodies and be carcinogenic. Turf fields can get hotter than outside temperatures, too, causing concern that byproducts can seep into the air.

"I've coached for 26, 27 years," she told NBC News. "My first 15 years, I never heard anything about this. All of a sudden it seems to be a stream of kids (getting sick)."

The fake grass isn't just on soccer fields — it's also the surface for thousands of playgrounds, schools, parks and stadiums throughout the country. Officials like that it's cheaper than grass to maintain and can hold up year-round.

NBC's investigation did not come to a definitive conclusion that the material was safe, but did add fuel to the fire.

The Synthetic Turf Council, however, says that the evidence so far says it's perfectly fine.

Meanwhile, Forbes reports that the cost of maintaining artificial turf is actually higher than maintaining natural grass and purported cost savings are all a big scam.