The primary concern is that the Turf planned for installation is composed of many chemicals toxic to people and the environment, including Lead, Chromium, Arsenic, Cadmium, Benzopyrene and Toluene. The State of California currently has a lawsuit against Turf Manufacturers for installing product containing toxic chemicals, against Proposition 65 rules. Los Angeles and San Francisco elementary schools have removed their turf installations at elementary schools because the hazard of exposure and absorption is greatest in young children. Because of their smaller developing bodies and the way they play, they are the most likely to be affected by Turf’s constituent chemicals. The diseases (multiple cancers, ADHD, reduced IQ, allergic reactions) caused by the exposure do not always produce immediate symptoms, making their use more insidious. Latent diseases caused by this will often not appear for years. The heavy metals also are leached into the soil and groundwater, poisoning our aquifers. We have removed hazardous chemicals from automotive fuel, paints, toys, and containers; yet here they are being re-introduced on the children’s play fields. New York and New Jersey have removed many installations of Turf due to excessive levels of toxics measured on their fields.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has stated that there is no safe level of lead exposure. Yet, the CPSC’s conclusions express risk in terms of what they have established as harmful levels. We think their analysis and conclusions should be consistent with those of the medical community. They should take into account that athletic fields are not the only source of exposure to lead and that it's important to eliminate avoidable sources of exposure. Health officials say the main risk is cumulative exposure, and many believe that the only safe amount is zero. While it is unlikely that anyone will play on a turf lawn or field just once and receive an excessive lead exposure, the risk of health problems rises with repeated exposures.

Lead is included in the green dye of the plastic blades of grass, as well as the shredded rubber tire infill material. Lead is a definite hazard to children, because their developing bodies absorb and retain such heavy metals, and the result is reduced IQ, ADHD and kidney damage. Currently, the plastic blades are made of polyethylene with Lead Chromate included in the green dye. The claim is that the dye can not come out of the plastic blades This same claim was made for the previous two formulations of plastic blades but has been found to be false in multiple tests of school and park installations in New Jersey, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Berkeley, Massachusetts, Korea, and numerous other locations. The US Centers for Disease Control recommends thoroughly washing hands and showering immediately after contact with turf, turning clothes inside out and washing them separately from other laundry. Athletic shoes be left outside and drinking containers should be covered and kept in a bag or cooler when not in use.

Then there is the crumb rubber from tires. To increase the lifespan of tires, many metals are added to the virgin rubber. When the rubber is shredded, or crumbed, the surface area of the rubber is increased thousands of times. This allows the contained metals to escape far more readily. If a child has eaten the crumb rubber, they will absorb the Lead and other metals into their blood stream. When spread out on a field, any liquids landing on the surface will rinse these metals down into the ground.