AstroTurf Linked to Autism

PAHs may cause Developmental Disabilities and Slow Development

Oct 1, 2008

The origin of Developmental Disabilities such as Autism is unclear; however, one possible factor is air pollution arising from sources such as AstroTurf and fuel exhaust.

Developmental disabilities are a major concern for most people; their origins are often shrouded in mystery. People advance several theories for the origin of developmental disabilities, including genetics, vaccinations, and cellular phones. One noteworthy cause of Developmental Disabilities is, apparently, AstroTurf.

Jenny McCarthy's Crusade

Jenny McCarthy has engaged in advocacy against vaccinating infants, due to her belief that the vaccination precipitated her son’s Autism (The American Academy of Pediatrics has recruited Amanda Peet as their celebrity vaccination spokesperson, and Peet and McCarthy are presently at odds) (McKay, 2008). If McCarthy were to continue her advocacy beyond vaccinations, she might note the above-discussed unequivocal link between air pollution and developmental disabilities, and consider lobbying AstroTurf to reform its products.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Developmental Disabilities

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are substances which, when released into the air, can cause mutations and cancer in humans. PAHs are released by coal burning, cigarette smoke, and, through groundwater contamination, from AstroTurf (Bystrianyk, 2008).

One study, from Columbia Children’s Center for Environmental Health, has demonstrated a clear link between PAHs and the risk of DNA damage, impaired fetal growth, and reduced cognitive development. High prenatal exposure to PAHs was associated with lower rates of mental development at age 3 (Health, 2008).

The odds of cognitive developmental delay were also significantly higher for children with high prenatal exposure. Children with greater exposure are more at risk for performance difficulties, including language, reading, and math delays. Study in the Czech Republic showed that schoolchildren exposed to higher levels of PAHs were more often referred for Special Education evaluation (Perera, 2006).

Although AstroTurf USA claims it’s impossible for humans to ingest PAHs from their AstroTurf, stating that it’s more likely to get PAHs from a hamburger than AstroTurf because water doesn’t dissolve the PAHs from the rubber used in their product (AstroTurf USA, 2008), in fact the surrounding ground becomes contaminated with PAHs, as Crain and Zhang have demonstrated. Despite AstroTurf’s claim that water is not a strong enough solvent to pull PAHs from their product, the NYC parks using AstroTurf have unsafe levels of PAHs in their groundwater (Crain & Zhang, 2007). These PAHs from the groundwater evaporate, become air pollution, and may be inhaled by the pregnant women studied by Perera.

This is not the first time AstroTurf has been linked to dangerous levels of pollutants. The artificial turf manufacturer is currently being sued by California’s Attorney General over potentially dangerous levels of lead in their Astroturf (Lead can also harm children’s cognitive development) (Goldstein, 2008).

Sources:

AstroTurf, USA. (2008). GeneralSports Venue/AstroTurf USA’s position on concerns over the use of crumb rubber derived from recycled passenger tires in synthetic turf systems . AstroTurf USA. Available: http://www.astroturfusa.com. [2008, October 1].

Bystrianyk, R. (2008, February 25). Learning and developmental disabilities linked to environmental toxins . Health Sentinel. Available: http://www.healthsentinel.com. [2008, October 1].

Columbia Children’s Center for Environmental Health. (2008). Developmental Delays. Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health. Available: http://mailman.columbia.edu/ccceh/development.html. [2008, October 1].

Crain, W., & Zhang, J. (2007, April 12). Hazardous Chemicals in Synthetic Turf: Follow-up Analyses (992). Rachel's Democracy and Health NEws. Available: http://www.rachel.org. [2008, October 1].

Goldstein, J. (2008, September 5). As NFL Season Kicks Off, California Sues Artificial Turf Makers Over Lead . Wall Street Journal: Health Blog. Available: http://blogs.wsj.com. [2008, October 1].

Perera, F. P. R., Virginia ; Whyatt, Robin M.; Tsai, Wei-Yann; Tang, Deliang; Diaz, Diurka; et al.. (2006). Effect of Prenatal Exposure to Airborne Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons on Neurodevelopment in the First 3 Years of Life among Inner-City Children. Environ Health Perspect, 114 (8), 1287-92.

The copyright of the article AstroTurf Linked to Autism in Autism Research is owned by Jeffrey Donaldson. Permission to republish AstroTurf Linked to Autism in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.