Surface America Offers Safe Playground Surface Options

NY DEC and U.S. CPSC Give Synthetic Surfaces Thumbs Up

Cheektowaga, NY (June 19, 2009) – Surface America, a leader in the playground and recreational surfacing industry since 1993, hails the ongoing safety endorsements of synthetic playground surfaces, including surfaces like Surface America’s TurfTop™ with Infill.

The latest safety endorsement from New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Department of Health (DOH) concludes that crumb rubber material used in synthetic turf play areas poses no significant environmental threat to air or water quality and poses no significant health concerns. The New York study follows earlier safety studies including the findings from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) report, touting synthetic turf as safe.

The CPSC found newer synthetic grass surfaces, such as TurfTop with Infill, to pose no danger to young children or athletes who play on or use these fields. The CPSC evaluation follows months of speculation and concern regarding the levels of lead contained in the fibers and the potential health impact. The report went on to alleviate concerns by stating that none of the fields tested released levels of lead that would be harmful to children.

“The Consumer Product Safety Commission validates what Surface America, A-Turf and the Synthetic Turf Council have long known to be true,” says Jim Dobmeier, President and founder of Surface America and A-Turf. “We appreciate the additional assessment and are hopeful the news will help put many of the unfounded fears to rest.”

As a leader in the playground and recreational surfacing industry, Surface America features the most complete line of playground surfacing systems in the world. Surface America’s products are also used for gymnasium and fitness flooring, trail and pathway surfacing, other indoor and outdoor surfacing, and artificial turf athletic fields.
Surface America’s playground surfacing products are IPEMA Certified and include PlayBound™ Poured-in-Place, molded tiles, and synthetic grass with infill. The PlayBound™ Poured-in-Place system is the industry’s leading playground surface, designed with proven, high-quality materials to provide long-term performance, durability, and consistent shock absorption. Mixed and applied on site, Surface America’s playground surfacing is easily customized to meet safety and design requirements.

Surface America incorporates the industry’s widest collection of recycled materials into its surfacing systems, utilizing both pre-consumer and post-consumer recycled material components. Most of the recycled material is rubber from post-consumer tires. Surface America products are eligible for LEED® credits.

For more on the CPSC study: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08348.html