The Editor,
If you or your children were in direct contact with easily ingested carcinogenbased products, would that give you cause for concern?
Too late. Already tens of thousands of children and adults use artificial turf sports fields, which are made of groundup used car tires containing four known carcinogens, silica and a laundry list of chemicals.
Used car tires are "recycled" by grinding them up into small pieces and creating the playing surface of artificial sports fields. With every kick, slip or save, rubber pellets fly into the air, sticking to open wounds, clothing and even into mouths of the users.
The NBC recently did a report on 34 young soccer goalkeepers who all developed cancers, many of them rare forms, after playing for an extended period on artificial turf. No research has concluded a link between cancer and artificial turf; however, no long-term studies have been completed, either. This is in addition to the much higher injury rates of athletes compared to natural grass fields.
I wouldn't let my children play on artificial turf. Will you?
Nik Wall
Surrey