Accessibility InfoSynthetic Turf Lead Results
The Parks Department provides more than 800 athletic fields around the City for New Yorkers to get exercise and enjoy the outdoors. Of these, 136 athletic fields are composed of synthetic turf material (99 crumb rubber infill, 19 alternative material infill, and 16 carpet-style), which is popular with users and widely used by thousands of professional sports teams, universities, high schools and town, city, and county parks across the country. In addition to the athletic fields, there are 19 play areas (15 crumb rubber infill, 4 carpet-style), which are small spaces, often within playgrounds that are made of synthetic turf surfaces in the city system.
The Health Department found an elevated lead level in the crumb rubber infill material at Thomas Jefferson Park in Manhattan in 2008. The Parks Department replaced this field, which reopened in the spring of 2009, and is continuing to investigate the source of the lead contamination.
Using protocols developed by the Health Department, an accredited lab working for the Parks Department has since tested the remaining synthetic turf installations throughout New York City for lead and has not found a lead hazard at any other fields. All results are posted below.
Lead is commonly found in soil and dust in the urban environment because, in the past, it was used in paint, gasoline and many other products. In New York City, lead paint in homes is the most common cause of childhood lead poisoning. For more information about lead poisoning, visit nyc.gov/health or call 311.
The Parks Department is currently taking the following steps:
- Using carpet-style or alternative infill materials on all new fields, rather than crumb rubber infill made from recycled car and truck tires.
- Implementing protocols, developed with the Health Department, to inspect, test, and replace any existing synthetic turf fields that may age or deteriorate.
- Implementing the recommendations of the Health Department’s Report [PDF Download] including:
- Posting public signage at all athletic fields and instructing field staff about potential heat-related risks involving synthetic turf, including overheating and dehydration.
- Adopting more stringent procurement protocols to select the best synthetic turf products that require suppliers to provide information on chemical content, heating absorbency properties, environmental and health and safety factors.
- Assessing new technologies as they become available.
Crumb Rubber Synthetic Turf Athletic Fields and Play Areas
Lead Test Results for Crumb Rubber Infill
Most of the synthetic turf fields in NYC currently use crumb rubber infill made from recycled car and truck tires. A total of 113 crumb rubber athletic fields and play areas, including Thomas Jefferson Park, were tested. Crumb rubber samples were taken from each field and analyzed for total lead content. Aside from Thomas Jefferson Park, the test results for the remaining 112 fields and play areas were below the acceptable EPA lead level for soil (400 parts per million), the best standard available, and no potential lead hazards were found. Lead levels for the 112 fields ranged from ‘not detected’ to 240 ppm and 96% of the results were less than 100 ppm. Thomas Jefferson Park was the only field with an elevated lead level above the EPA standard. The EPA standard applies to bare soil in children’s play areas in residential settings. This level is intended to protect children under six who may ingest lead in soil during play.
Test results are shown in the tables below. Please see the bottom of the data tables for a link to the actual lab report for each field or play area.
Athletic Fields
| Name | Borough | Results (ppm) |
|---|---|---|
| Bronx Park East | Bronx | 88.0 |
| Haffen Park | Bronx | 54.1 |
| John Mullaly Park (North) | Bronx | ND |
| John Mullaly Park (South) | Bronx | ND |
| Marble Hill Park | Bronx | ND |
| Pelham Bay Park | Bronx | ND |
| PS29 Melrose School | Bronx | ND |
| Seton Park Ballfield | Bronx | 69.3 |
| St. Mary's Park | Bronx | 100 |
| West Bronx Recreation Center (Highbridge) | Bronx | 57.6 |
| Williamsbridge Oval | Bronx | ND |
| Brownsville | Brooklyn | ND |
| Bushwick Ballfield | Brooklyn | ND |
| Cadman Plaza | Brooklyn | ND |
| Coney Island Steeplechase Ballfield | Brooklyn | 73.1 |
| Dyker Beach Park 1 (LL) | Brooklyn | ND |
| Dyker Beach Park 2 (LL) | Brooklyn | ND |
| Dyker Beach Park 3 (Soccer) | Brooklyn | ND |
| Ft. Hamilton HS Athletic Field | Brooklyn | ND |
| Hamilton-Metz Park | Brooklyn | ND |
| J.T. McGuire | Brooklyn | ND |
| Kaiser Park | Brooklyn | ND |
| Linden (Gershwin) Park | Brooklyn | ND |
| McCarren Park | Brooklyn | ND |
| Mclaughlin Park | Brooklyn | 40.2 |
| P.O. Reinaldo Salgado Plgd | Brooklyn | ND |
| Parade Ground Field 7 | Brooklyn | 97.1 |
| Parade Ground Field 8 | Brooklyn | 55.5 |
| Parade Ground Field 9 | Brooklyn | 154 |
| Parade Ground 10 | Brooklyn | 20.7 |
| Parade Ground 11 | Brooklyn | ND |
| Red Hook Recreation Area | Brooklyn | 43.4 |
| Shore Road Park | Brooklyn | 16 |
| Sternberg Park Fields 1 and 2 | Brooklyn | ND |
| Van Voorhees Park | Brooklyn | 19.3 |
| William Grady HS (DOE) | Brooklyn | 26.2 |
| Al Smith | Manhattan | ND |
| Annunciation Park | Manhattan | 31.4 |
| Baruch Park | Manhattan | ND |
| Booker T. Washington | Manhattan | ND |
| Buczek Ballfield | Manhattan | 48.4 |
| Columbus Park | Manhattan | ND |
| East River Park Field 1 | Manhattan | ND |
| East River Park Field 2 | Manhattan | ND |
| East River Park Field 5 | Manhattan | 16.5 |
| East River Park Field 6 | Manhattan | 50.1 |
| East River Park Soccer Field | Manhattan | ND |
| Eugene McCabe Field | Manhattan | 48.7 |
| Frederick Douglass Plgd | Manhattan | ND |
| Harlem River Park Fields 1 and 2 (128 St.) | Manhattan | 21.4 |
| J.J. Walker Park | Manhattan | 240 |
| Jacob Schiff Playground | Manhattan | ND |
| Marx Brothers (Playground 96) | Manhattan | 29.3 |
| Randalls Island 10 (Icahn Stadium) | Manhattan | 31.3 |
| Randalls Island 70 | Manhattan | 63.6 |
| Randalls Island 72 | Manhattan | 14.3 |
| Randalls Island 73 | Manhattan | 16.6 |
| Randalls Island 74 | Manhattan | 14.7 |
| Randalls Island 75 | Manhattan | 65.5 |
| Randalls Island 82 | Manhattan | 38.4 |
| Randalls Island 83 | Manhattan | 56.3 |
| Randalls Island 84 | Manhattan | 89.0 |
| Randalls Island 85 | Manhattan | 56.0 |
| Randalls Island 90 | Manhattan | 58.8 |
| Randalls Island 91 | Manhattan | 30.9 |
| Riverside Park @ 101st | Manhattan | ND |
| Riverside Park @ 104th | Manhattan | ND |
| Riverside Park @ 107th | Manhattan | 40.8 |
| Sara D. Roosevelt Park (at Broome and Grand Streets) | Manhattan | ND |
| Sara D. Roosevelt Park (at Rivington and Stanton) | Manhattan | ND |
| Thomas Jefferson Park* | Manhattan | 502 |
| Wagner Playground | Manhattan | ND |
| Al Oerter (FMCP 8) | Queens | ND |
| Al Oerter (FMCP 9) | Queens | 18.9 |
| Brookville Park | Queens | 54.8 |
| Flushing Meadows Corona Pk 1 | Queens | 34.8 |
| Flushing Meadows Corona Pk 2 | Queens | 22.2 |
| Flushing Meadows Corona Pk 3 | Queens | 39.0 |
| Flushing Meadows Corona Pk 5 | Queens | 31.2 |
| Flushing Meadows Corona Pk 7 | Queens | 26.3 |
| Forest Park (Victory Field) 1 | Queens | 31.0 |
| Forest Park Fields 01, 4, 5 | Queens | 111 |
| Hinton Park Fields 1 and 2 | Queens | 59.5 |
| Idlewild Park 01 | Queens | ND |
| Juniper Valley Park (Brennan) 01 | Queens | 69.3 |
| Kissena Corridor 01 | Queens | 35.7 |
| Liberty Park (Detective Keith Williams) 01, 1 | Queens | 15.3 |
| Linden Park (Queens) | Queens | 48.9 |
| Mafera Park 01, 1, 3 | Queens | ND |
| Raymond O'Connor Park 01 | Queens | 87.7 |
| Reiff Park 1 | Queens | 26.1 |
| Roy Wilkins Park 01 | Queens | ND |
| Southern Fields 01 | Queens | ND |
| St. Michaels Fields 01, 1 | Queens | ND |
| Blood Root Valley (Greenbelt) | Staten Island | ND |
| Bloomingdale Park | Staten Island | ND |
| Midland Beach | Staten Island | ND |
Play Areas
| Name | Borough | Results (ppm) |
|---|---|---|
| Millbrook Playground | Bronx | 21.9 |
| PS 42/Little Claremont Park | Bronx | 27.3 |
| Bushwick Volleyball | Brooklyn | 37.9 |
| JT McGuire Tball | Brooklyn | 84.9 |
| Leif Ericson Park | Brooklyn | ND |
| PS 150 / Carter G. Woodson Playground (Christopher Ave Lot) | Brooklyn | 76.3 |
| Raymond Bush / PS 44 / Putnam Playground | Brooklyn | 23.5 |
| South Oxford Park | Brooklyn | ND |
| East River Park (mini-soccer play area) | Manhattan | ND |
| Heckscher Playground (Central Park) | Manhattan | 15.5 |
| Riverside Park South | Manhattan | 17.2 |
| Queensbridge Park 01 | Queens | 26.5 |
| Queensbridge Park Courts 1 and 2 | Queens | 56.2 |
| Rufus King Park 01 | Queens | ND |
Notes
ND = Not detected above laboratory reporting limit (reporting limits range from 1.65 – 16.7 ppm).
Parts per million (ppm) is equivalent to milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg).
*The athletic field at Thomas Jefferson Park has since been replaced.
There are two Linden Parks. One is in Brooklyn and the other is in Queens.
Sample Collection Method: For most of the fields and play areas, a composite sample of crumb rubber was collected from five areas within each field or play area and analyzed for lead. These results are presented here. Individual samples were collected at Pelham Bay Park field, Dyker Beach Soccer field, Parade Ground fields 10 and 11, all Randall’s Island fields, the Thomas Jefferson Park field, Eugene McCabe field, Heckscher Playground, and Juniper Valley (Brennan) field. For these fields, an average of the individual results is presented here.
Lab Analytical Method: All crumb rubber samples were analyzed for lead by an NYS ELAP/NELAP accredited laboratory using EPA Method SW846-3050/6010.
Download Lab Reports for the Above Test Results
The lab reports for each field are contained in the link below. When you open the link, you will see an alphabetical listing of the fields and play areas. Click on the name of the field or play area and it will show the lab report for the lead test results.
Warning: This is a large file and may take several minutes to download depending on your connection speed.
Carpet-Style Synthetic Turf Athletic Fields and Play Areas
Lead Test Results
Carpet-style turf is made of carpet-style materials and does not contain crumb rubber infill. A total of 8 carpet-style synthetic turf athletic fields and play areas were tested for total lead in the carpet fibers and lead dust on the carpet surface.
Carpet fibers were taken from each field and play area and analyzed for total lead content. Some older carpet-style fields contain lead pigments in the nylon grass blades. The results of the total lead in carpet fibers ranged from ‘not detected’ to 7,409 mg/kg (milligram per kilogram). Although, there are no standards for lead in turf carpet fibers, harmful lead exposure from these fields is unlikely when the carpet fibers are intact. However, testing for lead dust can show if there is a potential lead hazard. As the carpet-style fields age and weather, lead dust may be released onto the surface of the field.
Dust wipe samples were collected from each field and play area and analyzed for lead. Since there is no standard for lead dust outdoors, dust wipe results were compared with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) dust hazard level for homes, which is 40 micrograms per square foot (µg/ft2) for floors (EPA, 2001). The average dust level at each field was below the 40 µg/ft2 EPA standard. Dust wipe results ranged from ‘not detected’ to 41.7 µg/ft2. Of the 40 dust wipe samples, 38 were below the 40 µg/ft2 EPA standard. One of five dust samples from Chelsea Park and one of five from Asphalt Green slightly exceeded the EPA standard. Though these levels slightly exceed the standard, they are unlikely to result in harmful exposures to typical field users. As a point of comparison, studies have shown that lead levels in settled dust on NYC outdoor surfaces can often exceed 40 µg/ft2.
Test results are shown in the tables below. Please see the bottom of the data tables for a link to the actual lab report for each field or play area.
Athletic Fields
| Name | Borough | Carpet Fiber Result (mg/kg) | Dust Wipe Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average (µg/ft²) | Min-Max(µg/ft²) | |||
| Macombs Dam Park1 | Bronx | 5,539 | 13.3 | ND - 16.7 |
| Asphalt Green | Manhattan | 3,765 | 31.9 | 20.9 - 41.2 |
| Chelsea Park | Manhattan | 4,298 | 31.9 | 22.8 - 41.7 |
| Sara D. Roosevelt Park | Manhattan | 3,865 | 10.2 | ND - 11 |
| Albert Montbellier Park 01, 1, 2 | Queens | ND | ND | ND |
Play Areas
| Name | Borough | Carpet Fiber Result (mg/kg) | Dust Wipe Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average (µg/ft²) | Min-Max(µg/ft²) | |||
| Albemarle Playground | Brooklyn | 6,591 | 10.4 | ND - 13.3 |
| Brooklyn Bridge Plaza | Manhattan | 2,539 | 12.3 | 10 - 18.6 |
| McNair Park | Manhattan | 7,409 | 31.1 | 16.4 - 36.6 |
Notes
ND = Not detected above laboratory reporting limit. Reporting limits for carpet fiber analysis range from 14.4 to 16.6 mg/kg. Reporting limits for wipe samples range from 9.7 to 10 µg/ft2.
Milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) is equivalent to parts per million (ppm).
µg/ft2 = micrograms per square foot
1Macombs Dam Park is a temporary field.
Sample Collection Method: For the carpet fibers, a composite sample was collected from five areas within each field and play area and analyzed for lead. These results are presented here. For the dust wipe samples, five individual samples were collected from each field and play area. Dust wipe sampling was conducted in accordance with the procedures for interior surfaces as described in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) “Guidelines for Evaluation and Control of Lead-Based Paint Hazards in Housing”. The average and range of the individual results are presented here.
Lab Analytical Method: Samples were analyzed for lead by an NYS ELAP/NELAP accredited laboratory using EPA Method 3050/6010 for carpet fiber and 3050/7420 for wipes.
Download Lab Reports for the Above Test Results
The lab reports for each field are contained in the link below. When you open the link, you will see an alphabetical listing of the fields and play areas. Click on the name of the field or play area and it will show the lab report for the lead test results.
Warning: This is a large file and may take several minutes to download depending on your connection speed.
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