Analysis conducted at Yale University on crumb rubber infill and playground rubber mulch.

Results

There were 96 chemicals found in 14 samples analyzed. Half of those chemicals had no government testing on them – so we have no idea whether they are safe or harmful to health. Of those chemicals found that have had some government testing done on them, see below for the findings with their health effects. Read more here.


Below are 11 CARCINOGENS found in the tested samples:

2-Mercaptobenzothiazole – Carcinogen, toxic to aquatic life

9,10-Dimethylanthracene – Carcinogen, respiratory irritant and can cause asthma

Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate – Carcinogen, may cause damage to fetuses

Fluoranthene – Carcinogen – Fluoranthene is one of the U.S. EPA's 16 priority pollutants (a PAH)

Heptadecane – Carcinogen

2-mercaptobenzothiazole – Carcinogen

Phenol, 4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl) – Carcinogen

Phenanthrene – Carcinogen (a PAH)

Phthalimide – Carcinogen, skin, eye and lung irritant (a Fungicide)

Pyrene, 1-methyl – Carcinogen

Tetratriacontane – Carcinogen, eye and skin irritant. Can cause systemic damage to central nervous system.

Pyrene – Carcinogen Toxic to liver and Kidneys (a PAH)

Below are 20 IRRITANTS found in the tested samples, including:

1,4-Benzenediamine, N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl – Irritant; causes skin and eye irritation; toxic to aquatic life.

1,4-Benzenediamine, N-(1-methylethyl)-N'-phenyl – Irritant; causes skin and eye irritation; toxic to aquatic life.

2(3H)-Benzothiazolone – Irritant; causes skin and lung irritation.

2-Dodecen-1-yl(-)succinic anhydride – Irritant; causes eye, skin and lung irritation.

3,5-di-tert-Butyl-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde – Irritant; causes iye, skin and lung irritation.

Anthracene – Irritant, causes skin, eye and respiratory irritation. Breathing it can irritate the nose, throat and
lungs, causing coughing and wheezing.

Benzenamine, 4-octyl-N-(4-octylphenyl) – Irritant; causes eye and skin irritation.

Benzenesulfonanilide – Considered hazardous; very little testing has been done on it.

Benzothiazole, 2-(methylthio) – Irritant; causes skin and eye irritation.

Dehydroabietic acid – Toxic to aquatic organisms.

Docosane – Irritant; causes skin irritation.

Hexadecanoic acid, butyl ester – Irritant; causes eye, skin and lung irritation. Can cause reproductive effects.

Methyl stearate – Irritant; causes eye, skin and lung irritation.

Octadecane – Irritant; causes skin, eye and respiratory irritation.

Octadecanoic acid, also known as Stearic acid – Irritant; causes skin, eye and respiratory irritation.

Oleic Acid – Irritant; causes skin and eye irritation.

Phenol, 2,2'-methylenebis[6-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-ethyl – Irritant; causes skin, eye and respiratory irritation.

Tetradecanoic acid – Toxic to aquatic organisms. Skin and eye irritant.

Anthracene, 2-methyl – Acute aquatic toxicity, Not much data available; what there is shows it to be an eye, skin and lung irritant.

Anthracene, 9-methyl – Acute aquatic toxicity, serious eye irritant.

 

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