At the end of 2017, RIVM was commissioned by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management to research the potential environmental impact of rubber granulate. The study was prompted by the discovery in 2017 that large quantities of rubber granulate were vanishing from sports pitches and into the environment. RIVM had previously identified potential environmental risks from substances leaching out of the rubber granulate.

The exploratory study answers 5 questions:

Rubber granulate from 100 synthetic turf fields in the Netherlands was tested for hazardous substances. The rubber granulate was analysed in the laboratory to determine which substances it contains and how much. This provides a representative picture of rubber granulate present in the Netherlands.

In order to determine whether substances in rubber granulate have an impact on human health, it is important to investigate whether substances can be released from rubber granulate. Then, an analysis should be made of whether the body absorbs the substances.

Concerns about rubber granulate are mainly about the carcinogenic properties of some substances in rubber granulate. In particular, the concern is about a possible relationship with leukaemia and lymphoma.

The substances present in rubber granulate in the Netherlands have been compared with the standards for rubber granulate and with other standards that may apply for these substances, such as for consumer products, toys and soil.