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July 19, 2016

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Home » City specials » Hangzhou

New rules crack down on toxic playground

By Wu Huixin | July 19, 2016, Tuesday | Print Edition

NOXIOUS fumes emitted by the chemicals in artificial turf on a playground at the Hangzhou Foreign Languages School has been blamed for nosebleeds, fever and coughing among students.

The school closed off the playground and had the grass tested. The results showed that levels of toluene, a chemical used in paint thinner, and dimethylbenzene were 14 times higher than government safety standards.

The school has ordered the removal of the turf.

This is not the only case of noxious elements discovered in public areas of Hangzhou.

Pupils at Yuhai Central Primary School in Rui’an County were reported to be suffering health problems after a new sports field there began oozing an odor as temperatures rose in May.

School officials said the area had passed health safety tests before it was opened. Parents weren’t satisfied, so the Chinese Academy of Inspection and Quarantine Comprehensive Test Center took samples from the playground. The results showed no high levels of noxious substances.

Many parents refused to be placated by the reports. Some have said they won’t send their children back to the school unless the playground surface is replaced.

According to the test center, toxic chemicals are usually to blame for playground pollution. Some companies use such chemicals to cut costs. Solvents and other chemicals can emit noxious smells and air contaminants, especially in warmer weather.

At present, there are no regulations requiring that the artificial surfaces used in playgrounds and sports areas be tested after they are installed.

Taking note of public concern, Zhejiang provincial government is now working on new rules in accordance with national standards, adding tests for formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds to the testing process.

In addition, the materials used in public play areas will have to be approved by testing organizations before they are installed. In contracts, constructors must also guarantee that the materials they use are environmentally friendly. Each completed area will be required to be ventilated for at least two months before use.

Parent groups will be invited to participate in the oversight process.

Meanwhile, 173 companies and organizations submitted a letter to the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development last week, urging the central government to raise the threshold of playground testing for the industry.

“Toxic sports grounds impede the development of the industry and also cause public unease,” the letter said. “Leaving this matter to industrial self-discipline obviously isn’t working. We need full-blown industrial standards and a trusted supervision system.”

China Central Television has reported that several companies and family-run workshops in Hebei Province recycle old tires, cables and other rubber waste to make synthetic materials used in surfacing playgrounds and sports fields. The practice is illegal.

So called “black pollutants” can also seep into the ground, contaminating soil and waterways.

In the past few months, toxic sports fields have been reported in the cities of Chengdu in southwestern China, Shenyang in the northeast and Dongguan in the south.

Last month, a new running track in Beijing was the suspected culprit behind skin allergies, nosebleeds and nausea among pupils using it. However, the site was tested and cleared, similar to the incidence in Rui’an County.

“The ‘plastic’ playground smelled irritating,” said a parent whose child attends Yuhai Central Primary School in Rui’an, Zhejiang Province.

“The negative test result shows there must be something wrong with the inspection criteria. We believe what we smell rather than what the tests show.”

Hangzhou


 

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