Are Playground Surfaces Exposing Kids to Toxic Chemicals in 2022?

A new look at children's play areas is raising uncomfortable questions for parents. According to reporting from E&E News by POLITICO (July 8, 2022), rubberized and synthetic playground surfaces may contain PFAS, the "forever chemicals" linked to a range of health concerns, and young children's natural behavior at the playground could increase how much of that material ends up in their bodies.

This kind of finding doesn't exist in isolation. PFAS Authority's own scoring of 2,092 products shows that 44% fail our PFAS and toxin screen , a reminder that forever chemicals turn up in far more everyday items than most people realize, not just playground turf.

What happened?

Per E&E News, researchers surveying playground use found that children five years old and younger commonly display behaviors, like sitting, kneeling, or putting their hands in their mouths after touching surfaces, that could raise their exposure to chemicals present in rubberized playground materials. The report ties this behavior pattern to broader concerns about PFAS and other chemical additives sometimes used in synthetic playground surfacing, mats, and turf infill.

PFAS are a family of thousands of synthetic chemicals prized for water, stain, and grease resistance. They've been used for decades in everything from nonstick cookware to rain jackets to, apparently, some playground materials. The concern isn't that a child will get sick from one afternoon at the park, it's the cumulative, everyday exposure across many products that scientists and regulators are trying to understand.

Who is affected?

The E&E News report focuses on young children, specifically those five and under, because of how they physically interact with play surfaces, more ground contact, more hand-to-mouth activity, and more time spent close to the surface than older kids or adults. That puts toddlers and preschoolers at the center of this particular concern, though the broader issue of PFAS in consumer and public products touches people of all ages.

Parents, caregivers, school administrators, and park managers who choose or maintain playground surfacing are effectively the decision-makers here, even though most have no easy way to know what's in the rubber beneath their feet.

Why does it matter?

Health agencies including the U.S. EPA have linked certain PFAS exposures to associations with immune system effects, changes in cholesterol levels, and other health outcomes in scientific studies, though researchers stress these are associations observed in population studies, not proof that any single product or exposure caused a specific health effect in an individual. Still, because PFAS don't break down easily in the environment or the body, reducing unnecessary exposure, especially for young children, is a precaution many public health experts recommend.

What makes this playground story notable is that it highlights a category most parents never think to question. People scrutinize food packaging or cosmetics for PFAS, but rubberized play surfaces are rarely on anyone's radar. That blind spot matters because kids spend a lot of unsupervised time in direct contact with these materials.

It also fits a pattern PFAS Authority sees across many product categories. Our scoring, based on published ingredient lists, material disclosures, and third-party certifications rather than our own laboratory testing, has found entire categories where every product we've evaluated fails. Camping tents and tarps, waterproof mascara, ski and snowboard jackets, cycling rain jackets, and rain jackets each show 100% failure rates in the categories we've scored so far. That doesn't mean playground surfacing behaves identically, but it underscores how common PFAS use is in products marketed for water resistance, durability, or weatherproofing, properties often desired in outdoor play equipment too.

What can you do?

You can't retrofit your local park's rubber surfacing overnight, but there are steps that can help lower your family's overall exposure.

• Ask questions at schools and daycare centers. If a facility is installing new playground surfacing, ask whether the manufacturer discloses PFAS content or has third-party certification.
• Reduce PFAS exposure where you have more control. Since forever chemicals show up in many consumer products, checking items like rain jackets, cosmetics, and cookware before you buy can meaningfully cut cumulative exposure. Our product finder lets you search specific items and brands to see how they score.
• Encourage hand-washing after outdoor play, particularly before eating, as a simple way to reduce hand-to-mouth transfer of any surface residue.
• Be cautious with brands that disclose nothing. Companies like Dove, KitchenAid, Amazon Basics, Clinique, Verb, Garnier Fructis, Cantu, and Vanicream currently provide no public PFAS disclosure, which makes it harder for consumers to make informed choices across their product lines.

To understand exactly how we evaluate products, using published ingredients, materials, and certifications rather than lab testing, see our methodology page.

Bottom Line

Playground surfaces join a long list of everyday items where PFAS may be present without clear labeling, and young children's play behaviors may increase their contact with these materials, according to the E&E News report. While no single exposure is proven to cause harm, the pattern of widespread PFAS use, reflected in PFAS Authority's own scoring of thousands of products, suggests it's worth asking questions about the surfaces and products your family encounters daily.

FAQ

Does this mean my local playground is unsafe?

Not necessarily. The E&E News report highlights a potential concern based on children's behavior patterns and known PFAS use in some rubberized surfacing, but it doesn't mean every playground contains harmful chemical levels. It's a reason for informed caution, not alarm.

How is PFAS Authority's scoring different from lab testing?

We evaluate products based on publicly available ingredient lists, material disclosures, and third-party certifications rather than conducting our own chemical analysis. This approach lets us assess a large number of products quickly, though it relies on the accuracy and completeness of manufacturer disclosures.

What's the easiest first step for a concerned parent?

Start with products you control directly, check the categories you buy most using our product finder, and prioritize hand-washing after outdoor play as a simple, immediate precaution.