Research of tyre industry association VACO revealed this weekend that the vast majority of the artificial pitches contains higher concentrations of carcinogens than is permitted in consumer products. Out of 60 investigated fields, 58 do not meet the standard, NOS reports.
The Sports Centre is aware of the reports, but they are keeping the pitches open to the players of football clubs Forward and The Knickerbockers. ‘The RIVM (National Institute of Public Health and Environmental Protection, ed.) took samples of one of the two of our artificial pitches. We expect the results before Christmas’, says Evert-Jan Nienhuis of the Sports Centre. ‘We will carry on and await the RIVM’s investigation.’
Car tyres
The cause for the investigation was a broadcast of Zembla, in which scientists said that the granules of ground-up car tyres contain higher concentrations of carcinogens than is advised for health reasons. ‘Since the broadcast, we have naturally been following any developments closely’, Hendrike Schut, director of the Sports Centre says.
Whether or not it is hazardous to play football on the pitches has not yet been proven. Sound research is lacking. There has never been research how much exposure to the carcinogens is hazardous to one’s health. In the Netherlands, the artificial pitches are only tested for environmental standards. These allow for much higher concentrations of carcinogens than the standards for consumer products allow.
‘Our pitches more than sufficiently meet the environmental standards’, Nienhuis says. ‘Consumer products, among other things, cover teething rings that babies have in their mouth all day long; it’s completely different than playing on a pitch.’
Skin contact
According to De Volkskrant and NOS, a number of toxicologists are pleading for an assessment of the rubber granules used in the sports pitches as consumer products, because players come into skin contact with the granules and because it is possible for children to get the granules in their mouths.
The RIVM says that there is no reason to stop playing on the artificial pitches, but they do recommend that players shower and wear clean clothes after their activities. The institute is currently investigating 200 fields.
Photo: vrouwenvoetbalgroningen.nl