Athletics
EPA resources on athletics
A greener gameday -the idea of environmental sustainability takes root among schools
Stadium/Turf
Rethinking Waste Management at Large Sporting Events 2/10/20
CU Boulder replaces plastic cups with recyclable aluminum at stadiums. 9/6/19
Federal Research on Recycled Tire Crumb Used on Playing Fields (current)
Tire Crumb and Synthetic Turf Field Literature and Report List as of Nov. 2015 (Source: EPA)
Zero Waste at Ohio State Stadium
Pools
The Department of Energy offers information on improving a pool's energy and heating efficiency through both short and long-term changes. More information can be found about efficient swimming pools.
Healthy Swimming Practices for Pool Operators (source: CDC); includes information about
- Swimming Pools & Hot Tubs/Spas
- Germs & Outbreaks
- Injuries & Drowning
- Design & Construction
- Operation & Maintenance
- Policies & Management
- Regulation & Inspection
Gymnasiums
Evaluation of Health Concerns Associated with Mercury-Containing Polyurethane Gymnasium Floor in a Milwaukee Public School: In the 1960s, a number of companies began manufacturing and installing a thin layer of synthetic, polyurethane flooring on top of concrete sub-floors, to provide a resilient and rubber like surface. Typically, proprietary liquid polyurethane was poured on top of the sub-floor and organo-mercuric salts were incorporated to catalyze the polymerization/curing process to produce a solid, rubber-like floor. These polyurethane floors are reported to contain between 0.1 and 0.2 percent total mercury (ATSDR 2006a). These floors were widely installed in school gymnasiums across the US, until being discontinued in the mid-1980s amid concerns over their emissions of elemental mercury vapor (NEWMOA 2010). However, many of these floors remain in place today, and recent reports have demonstrated that some emit notable amounts of elemental mercury vapor (ATSDR 2003; 2004; 2006a; 2006b), which has raised questions about inhalation health risks, particularly for children in schools.
Damaged metal halide lamps can cause indoor sunburns (Source: Vanderbilt University)
