Senators Call for ‘Independent' Crumb Rubber Turf Study

Two senators have urged federal officials to lead an "independent investigation into the health risks of crumb rubber" turf, a surface made of recycled tires used on playgrounds and athletic fields across the country, NBC News reported. 

Democratic Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Bill Nelson of Florida sent a letter to Chairman Elliot Kaye of the Consumer Product Safety Commission asking the CPSC to "devote additional resources to conclusively determine whether these products can be safely played on by young children and people of all ages."

The senators wrote that CPSC said in September it would provide technical assistance to an evaluation of crumb rubber now being conducted by the California Office of Environmental Hazard, but said the CPSC should "lead the independent federal investigation on this important matter."

The two senators are the latest Congressional officials to call for research on crumb rubber since NBC News begun airing and publishing a series of reports on the playing surface more than a year ago.

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