AstroTurf Ordered to Curtail Lead Use

If you’ve ever wondered where AstroTurf gets its vibrant color, consider the mystery solved: turf-makers use lead to keep artificial grass green. Now, as the result of a 2008 California lawsuit against the Georgia-based company, AstroTurf will drastically reduce the lead content in its imitation turf.

Studies show lead levels of more than 5,000 parts per million (ppm) in certain AstroTurf products. Of particular concern are older AstroTurf fields from which dust can form and ultimately be ingested by those who come into contact with it.

The lawsuit—filed under California’s Proposition 65, which requires the labeling of products that contain toxins known to cause cancer or birth defects—establishes the movement to make playgrounds and recreational fields safer. The settlement requires AstroTurf to limit the lead content of products sold in California to 50 ppm.

According to AstroTurf general manager Lou Ziebold, the lead chromate used for fiber pigmentation was replaced with a non-leaded component. “We have two pigment suppliers who each have their own unique formulation but neither has any lead in the formula. The new pigments have been extensively tested and we've been using them now for over a year,” Ziebold told EBN.

The company will pay $170,000 in civil penalties, grants, and attorney fees and $60,000 for testing artificial playing fields around the state. Additionally, AstroTurf will provide safety information via the Internet and send lead content warnings to California consumers who purchased artificial grass in the last five years. California Attorney General Jerry Brown’s office has additional lawsuits pending against AstroTurf’s competitors, Field Turf and the Beaulieu Group.

– Emily Bragonier