Health impact assessment of the use of artificial turf in Toronto / : HIA on artificial turf summary report

This HIA focuses on the use of third generation artificial turf in sports fields and play spaces, which is now the most common type in use, and examines the impacts on the social and environmental determinants of health and their associated effects on health. [...] To date, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and the Toronto Catholic School Board (TCDSB) have installed artificial turf on the properties of 18 elementary and four high schools and plan to install artificial turf on the properties of 19 additional schools. [...] It uses the best available evidence gathered from research, stakeholders and the community to assess the likely impacts (both positive and negative) of a proposal on the health and wellbeing of people as well as the distribution of these impacts on different sub- populations. [...] Recommendations a) Consider the installation of artificial turf only in situations where the conditions on the site and the high use of the space would prevent the maintenance of a healthy natural turf. [...] It uses the best available evidence gathered from research, stakeholders and the community to assess the likely impacts (both positive and negative) of a proposal on the health and wellbeing of different groups in the population.