Common Texas playground surface material may be dangerous product

Texas playgrounds and many other school and public play areas across the nation have been outfitted with a surface made from ground-up tires. The substance, known as rubber mulch or tire crumbs, is supposed to provide a softer surface to protect kids in case of falls. Many parents, however, are now claiming that the dangerous product is exposing their children to toxins.

A group of parents in another state has recently filed a suit against a school district in regard to the allegedly hazardous material. The group, which goes by the name Keep Turf Safe, is suing on the grounds that the school district installed the tire crumb fields without conducting an environmental review or notifying parents ahead of time. Their children, the parents complain, are now in danger from exposure to the carcinogens, heavy metals and other toxic substances contained in the crumbled rubber.

The claims alleges that there is readily available evidence demonstrating a notably elevated rate of cancer among U.S. youths who have played on the tire crumb turf as soccer goalies. The complaint also asserts that 44 had to be sent for treatment to the school nurse on the very first day the surface was installed. The children complained of heat exhaustion, most likely related to the toxic fumes emitted by the recycled tire material whenever it grows hot.

In fact, because of these statistics, several school districts across the nation decided against the installation of the tire crumb playing surfaces. The material is currently under investigation by the EPA, and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission does not endorse the allegedly dangerous product as a safe play surface for children. Any parents with similar concerns about dangerous or hazardous materials and the effects such substances might have on their children may benefit from seeking the advice of a Texas attorney with experience in product liability cases.

Source: courthousenews.com, “Parents Say Schools’ Tire-Crumb Turf Is Dangerous“, Bianca Bruno, Feb. 8, 2017