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European Commission asks the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) to assess potential risks in playgrounds. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in synthetic turf infill materials will be reviewed for potential risks by ECHA. The European Commission (EC) ordered the agency to analyze any dangers to children in a letter dated January 6 to ECHA executive director Sharon McGuinness. The study's scope includes loose mulches and granulated PAHs used in playgrounds, gardens and landscaping. According to the EC, the assessment's goal is to determine if the respective applicable concentration limits for eight PAHs found in infill materials are effective.

Episode 40 of the Tyre Recycling Podcast run by Ewan Scott – chief editor of Tyre and Rubber Recycling magazine – is continuing the topic of the EU's proposed ban on crumb rubber in synthetic turf fields. The guest of the Podcast is ETRA's, Dr. Ettore Musacchi. In this podcast, Dr. Ettore Musacchi tells about the proposed ban and what it means for the tyre recycling sector and the environment.

Episode 39 of the Tyre Recycling Podcast run by Ewan Scott – chief editor of Tyre and Rubber Recycling magazine – is devoted to the EU's proposed ban on crumb rubber in synthetic turf fields. The guest of the Podcast is Poul Steen Rasmussen, Chair of the Mechanical Tyre Recovery Group at EuRIC. In this podcast, Poul Steen Rasmussen tells about the proposed ban and what it means for the tyre recycling sector and the environment.

An online magazine sportsfields.info focused on technology and business aspects of synthetic turf fields recently published an article criticising EU's decision to ban crumb rubber infill in artificial turf. Indeed, this month's announcement by the European Commission that it will recommend a ban on the sale of polymeric infill within six years and ignore the difference so-called risk management measures can make, has been met with disbelief and outright anger by some organisations in the industry.

The EMEA Synthetic Turf Council (ESTC) takes note of the publication of the European Commission's recommendations for the implementation of limitations for the introduction of purposely added microplastics onto the European market (Annex XVII REACH1). The best strategy to limit microplastic emissions, according to the Commission, is to ban the sale of purposefully added microplastic infill for synthetic turf systems in the future (most often, end-of-life tyre shred).

The European authorities have introduced the limits for the PAHs in the recycled rubber used in synthetic turf pitches, and its content must not exceed 20 mg/kg. If the limit is met, a playground or a field can be considered safe for children and sportsmen. The evaluation of all possible risks has been conducted by The Risk Assessment Committee of the European Chemicals Agency, (ECHA). According to ECHA, it was important to make this research as the rubber contains controversial and potentiallly harmful PAH particles. If within the limits, the rubber that is made out of recycled end-of-life tires is safe and not harmful to people who spend much time training and playing on the grounds that contain this type of recycled material.

The European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA) has welcomed and lauded a European Commission’s decision to lower the concentration limit of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in synthetic turf infill materials. The news came from the European Rubber Journal (ERJ) on July 26. The magazine writes that on July 20, the European Commission lowered the limit of PAHs in granules and mulches used as infill materials for synthetic turf or playgrounds from the current 100mg/kg to 20mg/kg.

The European Recycling Industries’ Confederation (EuRIC) – an umbrella organization for European Recycling Industries – holds Recyclers’ Talks Webinars. The webinar series by EuRIC connects the dots between EU decision-makers and recyclers to discuss the building blocks required to speed up the transition towards a more circular economy and achieve Europe's climate neutral agenda.

A Turkey-based company Hatko – manufacturer of noise barriers from recycled end-of-life tire rubber – reports it has become a part of "The longest mid-span suspension bridge in the world project". Now, Hatko’s noise barriers from recycled tire rubber are used in the 1915 Çanakkale Brige Project. 1915 Çanakkale Bridge and Malkara-Çanakkale Motorway Project is a large-scale development project for Turkey’s transportation and infrastructure. Reportedly, the bridge will cut down the crossing of the Çanakkale Strait to six minutes but the project itself will be making a sizable contribution to the country's economy.