Following Nelson, Blumenthal Letter, CPSC Agrees To Aid Federal Investigation Into Crumb Rubber Turf

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) issued statements today praising news that the Consumer Product Safety Commission has heeded their request and agreed to help with any comprehensive multi-agency federal investigation to determine the true health risks of exposure to crumb rubber in playgrounds and artificial turf fields. Blumenthal and Nelson wrote CPSC Chairman Elliot F. Kaye in November highlighting the lack of conclusive evidence on the health risks of crumb rubber. Earlier this month, the two senators wrote President Barack Obama requesting that the White House initiate a comprehensive federal study into the potential health risks posed by the surfaces.

Nelson is Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Committee. Blumenthal is Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance, and Data Security.

“The bottom line is that the federal government needs to do all that it can to determine whether crumb rubber turf poses a health risk,” said Nelson.

“People need and deserve to know whether crumb rubber turf is safe. Only an independent, authoritative federal investigation can give them answers to safety and health questions raised about synthetic turf. Now that a key federal agency chairman has agreed that a federal inquiry involving all the relevant agencies is necessary, I hope the President will order it as soon as possible. I have reached no conclusion, but a federal investigation will help local officials, parents, and others to reach such conclusions. A comprehensive federal investigation is necessary because no one agency and no single state has the expertise or authority to reach a reliable, authoritative conclusion. Ingredients and components may vary. A national review is vital,” Blumenthal said.