Struggling to Ventilate, Smelling Burning Plastic: What Are the 'Pebbles' Causing a Stink?

"The smell of burning plastic is so strong it gives me a headache and reaches all the way up to the 6th floor of our apartment."

On August 19, a 60-year-old resident surnamed Lee at Apartment A in Doksan-dong, Geumcheon-gu, Seoul, voiced these complaints, stating that the odor emanating from the artificial turf soccer field inside the nearby Doksan Geunrin Park was severely foul.

Residents of the apartment, located just 150 meters away from the soccer field, complain that they suffer greatly from the stench every summer whenever they open their windows for ventilation.

The soccer field, which borders the apartment complex, measures 91 meters in length and 56 meters in width.

At 10:00 a.m. on that day, when midday temperatures exceeded 30°C (86°F), approaching the fence of the soccer field immediately triggered a sharp, pungent odor reminiscent of burning rubber.

The smell of heated rubber was noticeably worse on the side closer to the apartment management office.

Inspecting the inside of the soccer field revealed pellet-shaped rubber infill piled up along the edges of the artificial turf.

Some had even spilled out beyond the fence to the area underneath the benches.

These rubber infills, heated by the sunlight, were one of the main causes of the sharp, stinging odor.

Rubber infill was also visibly scattered in various places inside the soccer field.

The recurrent summer artificial turf odor issue has escalated into collective backlash from residents.

In June, the resident representative council of Apartment A collected signatures from 363 residents across four buildings adjacent to the soccer field and submitted a petition to the Geumcheon-gu Office demanding the creation of a resident-friendly green park.

Along with the artificial turf odor, residents also urged the resolution of noise, unauthorized smoking, and fine dust issues caused by soccer field users that have accumulated over the years.

An official from the resident representative council explained, "We received sporadic complaints about odors and fine dust blowing from the worn-out rubber of the aging artificial turf. We gathered individual complaints that have been coming in over the past 3 to 4 years and formally delivered them this time."

The official added, "The residents' goal is to demolish the soccer field and redevelop it into a pleasant green space, but if that is immediately difficult, at least minimal measures should be put in place, such as replacing it with eco-friendly materials that emit fewer harmful substances. We are also reviewing the possibility of launching a signature campaign covering all 2,300-odd households through a representative council meeting."

According to the Geumcheon-gu Office, the artificial turf soccer field was first constructed in 2014, underwent reconstruction in 2021, and is now in its 5th year since being redone.

Experts point out that when aging artificial turf is exposed to high temperatures, chemical substances can vaporize into the air, negatively impacting the health of vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly.

Lim Young-wook, a former professor at Yonsei University's Institute of Environmental Pollution, explained, "The older artificial turf gets, the higher the probability that the infill and fibers will break or wear down, exposing internal components to the surface. When ground temperatures soar to 50–60°C (122–140°F) in the summer, some volatile organic compounds (VOCs) among petroleum-based chemicals with boiling points lower than water are more likely to vaporize into the air."

He continued, "Even in outdoor spaces, if high temperatures and a lack of wind persist for a long period, chemical substances are likely to continuously drift into the air. For sensitive groups such as children, the elderly, and allergy sufferers, this has a high probability of negatively affecting their health, such as aggravating preexisting conditions."

In response, the Geumcheon-gu Office stated that it would review improvements to the artificial turf field by comprehensively considering the opinions of apartment residents and soccer field users, as well as budget availability.

An official from the Geumcheon-gu Office said, "The artificial turf and infill met the Korea Industrial Standards test criteria at the time of installation and were judged as 'not detected' in hazardous substance test results. However, we will review the possibility of applying eco-friendly infill when maintaining facilities by securing a budget in the future."

However, regarding demands such as abolishing the soccer field, converting it into a green park, and installing soundproof walls, the office maintained a cautious stance, stating, "We will review them from a long-term perspective by comprehensively considering utilization demand, business effectiveness, and required budget."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.