Artificial Turf Tested by EMSL Analytical for Lead

Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) looking into risks that could effect over 3,500 synthetic playing fields.

EMSL Analytical is pleased to announce that analysis for lead in artificial turf is now available. After recent news of the CPSC findings reached the national media the laboratory has been busy analyzing samples from a variety of clients including colleges, professional athletic teams, daycares and concerned parents.

The use of a pigment known as lead chromate, which is used to make the synthetic grass look green and resist fading from sunlight, is the culprit. “With close to 800 new synthetic fields being installed ever year this is a problem that needs to be addressed now,” reported Dr. Peter Frasca, President at EMSL Analytical Inc. “The possibility inhaling or ingesting contaminated materials is an unnecessary health hazard and EMSL is pleased to be providing a concerned public with quick answers,” Dr. Frasca went on to report.

EMSL is able to detect lead in the less than 1 ppm range in synthetic grass samples. The samples are collected as a 2” by 2” square and can then be analyzed as a composite, or the blades and the mat analyzed as two separate samples. The latter option allows proper identification of which component contains the lead contaminant.

Lead is a metal that was commonly used for thousands of years. In most countries, lead is now banned or severely limited due to its link to developmental and blood disorders, especially in young children. In the most severe cases, children have died from consuming large amounts of lead.

If you are interested in testing your artificial turf for lead, please email Shannon Kauffman at skauffman@emsl.com or call (800)220-3675 ext. 1260 or (609)670-6266.

About EMSL Analytical, Inc.
EMSL Analytical is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider of environmental and materials testing services and products to professionals and the general public. The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies. The company has been operating under the same ownership for 27 years and its loyal customer base has come to rely on the services provided by their network nationwide testing facilities.

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Paul Cochrane

Director of Marketing

EMSL Analytical, Inc.

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