Georges River Council's three synthetic sporting fields are each topped up by six tonnes of rubber crumb every two to three years, a report has stated.
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"This is about 18 to 20 tonnes every two to three years, the equivalent of one shipping container of rubber crumb," Oatley Flora and Fauna Conservation Society vice-president Adrian Polhill told the council.
"Rubber crumb has been lost from the synthetic turf playing fields," Mr Polhill said. "Where do you think it has gone?"
Mr Polhill asked the council to provide funds in its next budget for mitigation procedures to stop rubber crumb loss from synthetic fields.
Council's synthetic fields are not currently bunded and do not have filters to capture rubber crumb and plastics which would require additional capital expenditure, which is currently unbudgeted, according to the council report.
Brush carpets are installed at council's synthetic fields grates are located at vehicle access gates at synthetic fields, the report added.
Two years ago, a survey by members of the Oatley Flora and Fauna Conservation Society (OFF) at Poulton Park's two synthetic playing fields indicated more than 1,000,000 pieces of crumb rubber infill (1-2mm in size) and synthetic grass were present in the survey area of 400 square-metres.
At the time microplastics expert Dr Scott Wilson of Ausmap, said that once microplastic gets into the waterways it is so small that it is prone to be ingested by a whole range of marine and freshwater life.
Mr Polhill urged the council to act now to contain rubber crumb.
"We have waited two years. We can't wait any longer because rubber crumb still moves into the environment," he said.
He invited councillors to meet him at the synthetic fields and inspect the situation for themselves.
The NSW Government released its draft Synthetic Turf in Public Open Space Guidelines in March,2024.
The document was on exhibition until April 29 and the feedback received from this consultation period will be used to finalise the document, to be published later in 2024.
Council officers are currently reviewing this draft document to provide feedback to the NSW Government.
Dr Wilson urged the council not to wait on the draft guidelines and take immediate action to set aside additional funds to mitigate rubber crumb and synthetic grass loss from its fields.
"They can do this by installing some barriers around the periphery of the fields which have been shown to have success in limiting loss and also by collecting and filtering surface run-off water," Dr Wilson told the council
Dr Wilson assisted with a recent study where Ku-ring-gai Council measured the loss of grass and synthetic crumb in pit baskets the council had installed around their synthetic fields.
"We found they collected about 84 per cent of the material coming off the field," he said.
"We urge an education awareness campaign. It is important for users of the synthetic fields that they are aware of these issues and that they use the facilities such as brush-carpets.
"We also encourage micro-plastic sampling also be conducted in local waterways. Heavy metals such as lead are known to leak from rubber crumb and measures to determine the movement into local waterways should be undertaken," he said.
"The EU has banned rubber crumb from these types of fields because of both environmental and health concerns. Look at alternatives including back to natural turf."
