- ECHA
- Prensa
- Temas científicos candentes
- El granulado y las cortezas de caucho en los campos deportivos
El granulado y las cortezas de caucho en los campos deportivos
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Temas científicos candentes
- Prevención del cáncer
- Sustancias químicas sensibilizantes de la piel
- Sustancias químicas perfluoralquiladas (PFAS)
- Microplásticos
- El granulado y las cortezas de caucho en los campos deportivos
- Tintas para tatuajes y maquillaje permanente
- Glifosato
- Alteradores endocrinos
- Bisfenoles
- Estrategia de sostenibilidad para las sustancias químicas
- Los ensayos con animales en el ámbito de REACH
- Ftalatos
- Biocides
- Plomo
- Research to enhance protection of our health and environment
El granulado y las cortezas de caucho en los campos deportivos
Cada día y durante todo el año millones de europeos juegan en campos deportivos que utilizan granulado de plástico o caucho como material de relleno. Este relleno blando hace que los campos sean más duraderos y resistentes a la intemperie, a la vez que contribuyen a la absorción de choques y a la tracción. Las superficies de los parques infantiles también suelen tener cortezas de caucho debajo de columpios, toboganes y otros equipos de recreo para amortiguar las posibles caídas de los niños al suelo.
El granulado y las cortezas de caucho suelen fabricarse a partir de neumáticos ya desechados que se desguazan y trituran en fragmentos más pequeños. Su uso como relleno del césped artificial ha aumentado en los últimos 10-15 años debido al incremento del número de superficies con césped sintético y también a la prohibición de abandonar neumáticos viejos dentro de la UE.
Los gránulos y cortezas de caucho pueden contener sustancias químicas potencialmente nocivas, incluidos hidrocarburos aromáticos policíclicos (HAP), metales y ftalatos. También pueden liberar hidrocarburos orgánicos volátiles y semivolátiles (COV y COSV). Los granulados también contribuyen a la contaminación por microplásticos, ya que pueden propagarse al medio ambiente desde los campos de deporte, por ejemplo a través del agua de lluvia o del calzado y la ropa deportivos.
La UE está tomando medidas para mejorar la huella ambiental de los campos deportivos y proteger a la ciudadanía de las sustancias químicas peligrosas que se encuentran en este material de relleno.
Potential risks to human health
Exposure to high levels of harmful chemicals through the soft infill material could pose health risks to people using or working on artificial pitches. In June 2016, the European Commission asked ECHA to assess whether the presence of certain chemicals in the granules could pose a health risk. This request was driven by claims originating in the US where a former professional goalkeeper had been collecting data on cancer cases among her fellow goalkeepers. There were concerns of increased cancer risk to children playing on these pitches. As a result, several studies were kicked off in the EU and US.
ECHA assessed the health risks, looking at exposure through skin contact, ingestion and inhalation. The findings were published in February 2017, with ECHA concluding that there was a very low level of concern from exposure to the granules. The risk of cancer after lifetime exposure to rubber granules was judged to be very low based on the concentrations of PAHs measured at some European sports grounds. These concentrations were well below the legal limits. Also, the presence of heavy metals, phthalates, benzothiazole and methyl isobutyl ketone were below concentrations that would lead to health problems. The findings noted that, where the rubber granules were used indoors, the volatile organic compounds released might lead to skin and eye irritation.
ECHA’s report highlighted some uncertainties that would warrant further investigation. For instance, there was a concern over how representative the studies were for the whole of Europe (given that samples were not taken from all Member States). The Agency, therefore, recommended among other things that people should take basic hygiene measures after playing on artificial turf to counteract these uncertainties.
In addition to ECHA's findings, the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) conducted a study on the health risks of rubber granules used in the Netherlands in early 2017, which confirmed that playing sports on these fields is safe. However, the study gave a recommendation to further reduce the legal concentration limits of cancer-causing PAHs in the infill material. The Dutch authorities took action and submitted a restriction proposal with a specific concentration limit value for PAHs.
Microplastic pollution
The rubber and plastic granules used on sports pitches are considered to be microplastics. Each year around 42 000 tonnes of microplastics end up in the environment when products containing them are used. Granular infill is the largest single source of pollution with estimated releases of up to 16 000 tonnes per year.
These granules can end up in our waters. They can also spread in the environment through snow clearing and other maintenance work. Read more about microplastics on our microplastics hot topics page.
Restricting PAHs in granules and mulches
Restricting intentional uses of microplastics
Additional study on chemicals in infill
- Cobalt and zinc- with potential risk to people’s health; and
- Cadmium, cobalt, copper, lead, zinc, 4-tert-octylphenol, 4,4´-isopropylidene diphenol (BPA), bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP), benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) and benzothiazole-2-thiol – with potential risk to the environment.
Further investigation on PAHs in granules and mulches
The European Commission requested ECHA in January 2023 to assess the risks to children from PAHs in granules and mulches in playgrounds and other domestic applications such as gardening and landscaping. An initial screening assessment of risks was published in June 2023.
- Always wash your hands after playing on the field and before eating.
- Quickly clean any cuts or scrapes.
- Take off your shoes/cleats, sports equipment and uniforms outside to prevent tracking granules into your house.
- If you get rubber granules in your mouth, do not swallow them.
- Investigation report published for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 21 June 2023
- ECHA to assess risks to children from PAHs in granules and mulches, 18 Jan 2023
- Study on chemicals in artificial turf infill, 12 May 2021
- ECHA’s scientific committees support restricting PAHs in granules and mulches, 18 Sept 2019
- Lower concentration limit proposed for PAHs found in granules and mulches, 16 Aug 2018
- Restriction proposal
- Recycled rubber infill causes a very low level of concern, 28 Feb 2017
- Call for evidence on the use of recycled rubber granules used as infill material in synthetic turf [PDF]
- ECHA evaluating whether recycled rubber filling on artificial sports grounds poses a health risk, 8 June 2016
European Commission
- REACH committee votes to restrict intentional microplastics, 27 April 2023
- Commission Regulation on limiting PAHs
- Member States vote in favour of the PAHs restriction in REACH Committee, 21 Dec 2021
- European Commission’s request for ECHA to assess health risks of recycled rubber granules [PDF], 1 June 2016
- News on RIVM's website, 16 Aug 2018
- Environmental impact study on rubber granulate 2018, 20 July 2018 - in Dutch
- Evaluation of health risks of playing sports on synthetic turf pitches with rubber granulate: Science background document, 23 March 2017