The safety of the new generation of 3G pitches "exploded once again with fresh allegations" that the Dutch government's safety tests "overlooked crucial aspects," according to Sam Wallace of the IRISH INDEPENDENT. The safety of rubber crumb, the shredded tires that "act as infill on the new 3G pitches," is an issue "that no parent can ignore given the boom in construction" of the last 10 years, both in the Netherlands and across Europe. The FA is "currently embarking on the Parklife Grassroots hub project," which plans to build £200M ($249M) worth of 3G rubber crumb pitches in 30 towns and cities across England. In Europe, it has been Dutch broadcaster VARA and news investigation program Zembla which have "led the way in analysing the chemical composition of rubber crumb." Zembla's investigation led to clubs like Ajax, Sparta Rotterdam and Heracles "closing off 3G pitches to their young players and pressure on the Minister for Health Edith Schippers," who commissioned a report from the country's public health institute, RIVM. The RIVM report assessed the risk to health from rubber crumb as "virtually negligible." The tests carried out for Zembla by the VU University Amsterdam "produced some startling results" (IRISH INDEPENDENT, 2/15).
