Crumb Rubber Safety

A new California study concludes that crumb rubber made from recycled tyres and used in synthetic turf is unlikely to pose significant health risks to players or spectators.

A Broader Look at the Evidence

The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) analysed 35 synthetic turf fields across the state, sampling new and older installations in different climate regions. The study evaluated more than 100 chemicals for potential health risks, expanding well beyond earlier work that examined smaller chemical groups, and included air monitoring during both active play and idle periods.

Researchers worked with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to simulate sweat and digestion conditions and map exposure pathways, while exposure assessments with the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Arizona modelled skin contact, inhalation, and accidental ingestion for more than 1,000 football players aged 7 to 71.

What the Findings Say

OEHHA found no significant evidence of acute health risk, including sensory irritation, cancer risk, reproductive harm, or impacts on fetal development. Director Kris Thayer said the study “should ease concerns about the safety of crumb rubber use in synthetic turf fields,” while CalRecycle Director Zoe Heller stressed that protecting public health and managing waste tyres safely go hand in hand. The state’s Waste Tire Program points to the same goal: safe tyre management paired with beneficial uses for material that would otherwise be landfilled.

Context for the Recycling Sector

Synthetic turf is one of the largest established markets for recycled tyre rubber, with more than 900 installations in California alone. It relies on infill to cushion and stabilise the playing surface, giving worn-out tyres a second life as a durable sports material. Clear findings on crumb rubber safety strengthen the case for beneficial reuse of end-of-life tyres, a material stream that otherwise risks landfill. The European Union took a different path in 2023, phasing out crumb rubber infill under its REACH rules by October 2031, so the global regulatory picture remains split even as the health evidence accumulates.

For recyclers, the study reinforces the value of diverting scrap tyres into proven downstream applications, from crumb rubber to higher-value outputs such as pyrolysis oil and recovered carbon black. A clear-eyed read of how regulators and researchers assess recycled rubber safety is an essential input to planning any resource recovery project.

Learn More:

• Tyre Pyrolysis Projects
• Recovered Carbon Black
• Feasibility Studies

Turn Waste Tyres Into Value

Science continues to affirm that recycled rubber can be used safely and responsibly. Klean Industries helps operators turn end-of-life tyres into profitable, market-ready products.

Ready to evaluate your tyre recycling or crumb rubber project?

Contact Klean Industries about tyre recycling and crumb rubber » GO.