California has reached an agreement with artificial turf makers Beaulieu LLC and FieldTurf USA to reduce the amount of lead in their products, according to a report in Businessweek.
The turf products made by both companies are used in playing fields in schools and parks. According to a 2008 study, the state had found lead levels in the artificial turf that were ten times higher than allowed by state and national law, according to the report.
The Center for Disease Control has warned that as artificial turf ages, it can release lead-laden dust that can be ingested or consumed by children. Elevated lead levels in children can lead to behavioral and neurological disorders.
FieldTurf has agreed to install new fields across the state at a discount, while Beaulieu has agreed to pay the cost of lead testing. According to a report in USA Today, Beaulieu also supplies turf to retailers like Home Depot.
Six schools across New York and New Jersey were closed last year over fears about lead levels in artificial turf installations.
Target recently agreed to stop selling its Valentine’s Day Message Bears after concerns were raised about high levels of lead. The Center for Environmental Health tested a neon pink stuff bear sold by Target and found lead levels eight times higher than federal limits for products geared to children 12 and under, while the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reached a $1.25 million settlement with Illinois-based toy company RC2, pertaining to the company’s 2007 recall of an estimated 1.7 million Thomas the Tank Engine toys that contained lead levels that exceeded the legal limit,
