Synthetic Turf and Cancer

Guest: Amy Griffin, Associate Head Coach of the University of Washington’s soccer team  Across North America, some 11,000 artificial turf fields host high school and college athletes playing everything from football to lacrosse. Beneath the plastic grass lies a layer of recycle tire crumbs that give the field its bounce. Athletes call the crumbs “turf bugs:” they work their way into player’s clothes, eyes, nose and mouth during games and practice.  Recently, there have been calls for more research into the health effects those turf bugs might be having on athletes.