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.

RIVM research on rubber granulate on synthetic turf fields with an infill of rubber granulate was published on December 20th, 2016. In March 2017 RIVM published a compilation of the initial 2016 report and all the scientific background documents: 'Evaluation of health risks of playing sports on synthetic turf pitches with rubber granulate : Scientific background document'.

RIVM has conducted research into the health risks of playing sports on synthetic turf fields with an infill of rubber granulate. The results of this research indicate that playing sports on these fields is safe. The risk to health from playing sports on these synthetic turf fields is virtually negligible. While rubber granulate contains harmful substances, these substances are only released from the rubber granulate in very small quantities after ingestion, contact with the skin or evaporation in hot weather. RIVM recommends adjusting the standard for rubber granulate to one that is closer to the standard applicable to consumer products.

Today, digitalization in health care is common good. Health data are measured, stored and exchanged in bits and bytes. Not only with complex ICT systems specifically designed for the exchange of health care data, but also with for instance WhatsApp. Digitalizing health data can bring benefits as well as challenges for patient safety. The survey on ICT in health care RIVM recently published (RIVM, 2016 (in Dutch) and the eHealth monitor published by Nictiz and NIVEL (2016) provide a good overview of the current status of the implementation of ICT, including digitalized health data, in the Netherlands.

Based on various earlier studies, RIVM concluded that it was unlikely that playing sports on synthetic turf fields with rubber granulate would have any health effects and that people playing sports could continue using rubber granulate fields. In 2006, RIVM conducted a thorough study of the information available worldwide at that time about the possible health effects of exposure to rubber granulate. In 2007, RIVM performed air measurements above synthetic turf fields and published a report on the matter. RIVM works in an international network of experts and never bases any of its recommendations on a single study.

RIVM has involved professionals in order to define, sort, and rate characteristics of a Healthy City.

Project coordinator is dr. Caroline T.M. van Rossum