Since artificial turf has come under such controversial scrutiny lately, let's not forget that artificial turf has its benefits too. One of the benefits of artificial turf in sports fields is that athletes experience fewer injuries while playing on artificial turf than on natural grass, which could counterbalance the negative concerns about crumb rubber's health effects on athletes and children.
MSU and WTA&M University did tests on artificial turf comparing it with natural grass and found that artificial grass resulted in less severe physical injuries and concussions among those who played regularly on artificial turf.
Nonetheless, its critics aren't convinced. These critics say that the artificial turf of today is indeed different from previous artificial turfs: previous incarnations had toxins in them, but today's artificial turfs have introduced new materials which haven't been tested properly. Another liability they point to is that not enough tests have been done on how artificial turfs age.
In consequence of these conjectures, the NYC Department of Parks & Recreationa and LAUSD have prohibited the use of crumb rubber in artificial turf sports fields. California Senator Jerry Hill has proposed a bill which prohibits artificial turf with crumb rubber from being installed for the next three years.