The OEHHA report found 鈥渘o evidence of significant risk for cancer or other health problems鈥� tied to crumb rubber exposure for players, coaches,听referees and spectators, including young athletes. | Photo Credit:听Robert A. Bothman Inc.听
What You Need to Know听
- California鈥檚 Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) released a final study assessing potential health risks from听recycled-tire听鈥渃rumb rubber鈥� used as synthetic turf infill.听听
- OEHHA reported no evidence of a听significant听risk of cancer or other health problems for athletes, coaches, referees, or spectators 鈥� including young athletes and toddlers.听听
- The nine-year effort evaluated听35 fields听across California, analyzed听100+ chemicals, and included air sampling plus exposure research involving听1,000+ soccer players.听听
- OEHHA said the findings may help inform California sustainability and waste-tire management goals as synthetic turf use expands statewide.听听
Learn More听
SACRAMENTO, Calif. 鈥斕鼵alifornia鈥檚 Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment has concluded that crumb rubber infill made from recycled tires is not likely to pose a significant health risk to people who use or watch games on synthetic turf fields.听听
In a March 5 press release, OEHHA said its final report found 鈥渘o evidence of significant risk for cancer or other health problems鈥� tied to crumb rubber exposure for players, coaches,听referees听and spectators, including young athletes.听听
The assessment focused on crumb rubber, the small granules produced by grinding recycled waste tires and commonly used as听infill听between synthetic grass blades. OEHHA said the material helps keep turf fibers upright, adds cushioning and improves traction.听听
鈥淭his study should ease concerns about the safety of crumb rubber use in synthetic turf fields,鈥� said OEHHA Director Kris Thayer, 鈥淎thletes of all ages can use these fields without parents worrying about this commonly used material,鈥� according to听.听听
OEHHA said synthetic turf is widely used because it requires less maintenance, uses less听water听and can support play without rest periods. The agency cited more than 900 synthetic turf installations in California.听听
The report was also framed as part of California鈥檚 broader waste-tire and sustainability efforts.
鈥淧rotecting public health is our top priority, and California is committed to making sure waste tires are managed safely so they don鈥檛 litter communities or pose risks to residents,鈥澨鼵alRecycle听Director Zoe Heller said, according to听.听听
To evaluate potential health impacts, OEHHA tested 35 synthetic turf fields across the state, selecting both older and newer sites and including locations from each of California鈥檚 climate regions. The agency collected multiple samples from each field to address variation in source materials听and also听took air samples during active field use and when fields were idle.听听
OEHHA said it assessed more than 100 chemicals that could pose a risk, a broader scope than prior studies that reviewed fewer compounds. The agency coordinated with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to simulate sweat and digestion as part of听identifying听chemicals people could potentially contact.听听
OEHHA also worked with researchers from UC Berkeley and the University of Arizona to examine how soccer players may be exposed 鈥� including through skin contact,听inhalation听and incidental ingestion. The team surveyed more than 1,000 soccer players ages 7 to 71 about play habits such as sliding and diving, and recorded games and practices to quantify field contact. Because goalkeepers tend to have the most contact with the surface, OEHHA said goalie data were used to estimate risk for players. The analysis also considered toddlers who might crawl on turf.听听
In its risk characterization, OEHHA reported no acute risk for athletes, referees,听coaches听or spectators, including toddlers. In most cases, the agency said risks of sensory irritation, cancer, reproductive听harm听or effects on a developing fetus were 鈥渘egligible.鈥澨�听
This article is based on reporting originally published by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) on March 5, 2026.听
听