Is Crumb Rubber Okay?

In my last you and the world blog post, I wrote about the affects the crumb rubber has on the human body and why the topic interests and connects to me. I stated it's important to me in the world and in the sports industry. The last post included  the negative perspectives on the crumb rubber in astroturf. I interviewed Ms. Samantha from Star Finder to find out her perspective on the crumb rubbers on astroturf and her own personal experiences with it.

From my own perspective, crumb rubber in astroturf is a extremely hazardous and bad idea but for some people and places, the crumb rubber in astroturf is a smart and productive idea. The positives for having crumb rubber in astroturf are; it saves water, it can reduce some injuries because of mud and uneven grass spots, increases playability and allows more sports to be able to play on the field, lower maintenance costs, and it is way easier to maintain then grass.  All astroturf fields are the same size as a soccer field or bigger which allows more sports and activities to be held on the fields.

From my original research, I learned the benefits of having astroturf and the crumb rubber. Rubber is extremely hard to get rid of and different people and organizations have tried to find different ways of getting rid of these tires. The crumb rubber can be less harmful if it is cleaned well and in the places where people have got diseases from these tires, the tires were not cleaned well. When astro turf is in a inside place, it traps the heat from hitting the turf which makes the astroturf stay room temperature. When the astroturf and crumb rubber is outside, it captures heat which makes the whole field extremely hot which makes it more likely for an injury to occur.

My opinion on crumb rubber has changed in a small way. I believe that putting crumb rubber in the astroturf helps our environment by reducing these tires that are not biodegradable. The tires have to be cleaned extremely carefully so they are clean. I still believe that crumb rubber is dangerous though and when it is outside, it absorbs heat which makes it hotter which puts people's health in danger. When it is too hot, people can get dehydrated and are more likely to get injured. I wonder what other solutions could substitute crumb rubber and what will fields look like in the future.

For my agent of change, I am thinking about spreading awareness about the concerns of crumb rubber and try to find a solution to the problem.

Here is a picture of the organization Ms. Samantha works for

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jFkm10hpG_LrnTc7P7ys44l6ixd0LrPOnJrl-Y__u6c/edit