Some plant-based infills tested leached more heavy metals & SVOCs than crumb rubber
Image from forceofnatureclean.com
In this educational seminar "Testing for Chemicals of Concern in Synthetic Turf", David Teter (the consultant LGUSD's landscape designer brought to the 11/8/21 LGUSD-hosted Town Hall to assert the safety of artificial turf) concludes: "Organic infill products made from coconut fiber/peat and rice husks are inconsistent with regards to the leaching of heavy metals and SVOCs. Some of these organic infills leached more heavy metals (arsenic, cobalt, hexavalent chromium, lead, and nickel) and SVOCs than crumb rubber."
LGUSD has eschewed crumb rubber in its proposed artificial turf system because of the widely-recognized concerns with it. So how can LGUSD conclude plant-based infills are safe?