Reaction to the Zembla program broadcast on Wednesday, 5 October 2016

In the Zembla program broadcast on Wednesday, 5 October 2016 on Dutch national channel NPO2, doubts were cast on the study that was conducted in part by the RIVM (Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment) into the safety of rubber infill material based on ground-up car tyres and used as infill material in synthetic turf football pitches.

TenCate is a producer of synthetic turf components, such as synthetic turf fibres, synthetic turf carpet backing and shock pads for a variety of sports systems. These products satisfy the very strictest quality, safety and sustainability standards. TenCate does not produce rubber infill material.

TenCate regrets the fact that concern has been raised about the consequences of playing on synthetic turf football pitches that were installed using rubber infill material based on ground-up car tyres. It shares the opinion of the KNVB (the Royal Dutch Football Association) and Ms Schippers, Minister of Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport (Health, Welfare and Sport), that additional research is required to support the safe application and use of rubber infill material based on ground-up car tyres. To this end the parties involved will be called upon to do this as rapidly and as thoroughly as possible, so that conclusions can be drawn that are both unambiguous and convincing, and customers (and end-users) can be informed and advised accordingly. Where it is possible and necessary, TenCate will continue to adopt an active or proactive role, in order to gain greater clarity for all concerned.

In the meantime the RIVM has stated that there is no reason to stop playing football on synthetic turf football pitches on which rubber infill material based on ground-up car tyres has been used. For answers to any further questions, we would refer you to the websites of the RIVM and the KNVB: www.rivm.nl respectively www.knvb.nl.