[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 246 (Wednesday, December 26, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66265-66266]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-27854]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry

[60Day-19-19GW; Docket No. ATSDR-2018-0010]


Proposed Data Collection Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

AGENCY: Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), 
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Notice with comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), 
as part of its continuing effort to reduce public burden and maximize 
the utility of government information, invites the general public and 
other Federal agencies the opportunity to comment on a proposed and/or 
continuing information collection, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995. This notice invites comment on ``Exposure 
Characterization and Measurements during Activities Conducted on 
Synthetic Turf Fields with Tire Crumb Rubber Infill.'' The purpose of 
the proposed study is to evaluate and characterize human exposure 
potential to select chemicals during play on synthetic turf fields with 
tire crumb rubber infill.

DATES: ATSDR must receive written comments on or before February 25, 
2019.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. ATSDR-
2018-0010 by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Jeffrey M. Zirger, Information Collection Review 
Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road 
NE, MS-D74, Atlanta, Georgia 30329.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and Docket Number. ATSDR will post, without change, all relevant 
comments to Regulations.gov.
    Please note: Submit all comments through the Federal eRulemaking 
portal (regulations.gov) or by U.S. mail to the address listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the 
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the information collection plan 
and instruments, contact Jeffery M. Zirger, Information Collection 
Review Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton 
Road NE, MS-D74, Atlanta, Georgia 30329; phone: 404-639-7570; Email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(PRA) (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), Federal agencies must obtain approval from 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of 
information they conduct or sponsor. In addition, the PRA also requires 
Federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register 
concerning each proposed collection of information, including each new 
proposed collection, each proposed extension of existing collection of 
information, and each reinstatement of previously approved information 
collection before submitting the collection to the OMB for approval. To 
comply with this requirement, we are publishing this notice of a 
proposed data collection as described below.
    The OMB is particularly interested in comments that will help:
    1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    2. Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submissions of responses.
    5. Assess information collection costs.

Proposed Project

    Exposure Characterization and Measurements during Activities 
Conducted on Synthetic Turf Fields with Tire Crumb Rubber Infill--New--
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).

Background and Brief Description

    Currently in the United States, there are more than 12,000 
synthetic turf fields in use. While the Synthetic Turf Council has set 
guidelines for the content of crumb rubber used as infill in synthetic 
turf fields, manufacturing processes result in differences among types 
of crumb rubber. Additionally, the chemical composition may vary highly 
between different processes and source materials and may vary even 
within granules from the same origin.
    The research protocol, Collections Related to Synthetic Turf Fields 
with Crumb Rubber Infill, has been conducted previously under two ICRs: 
Activity 1 under OMB Control No. 0923-0054 (expiration date 01/31/2017) 
and Activities 2 and 3 under OMB Control No. 0923-0058 (expiration date 
08/13/2018). Activity 1 aimed to collect tire crumb rubber samples from 
40 synthetic turf fields across the US and from nine manufacturing 
facilities. Samples collection for Activity 1 was completed in November 
2016. Activities 2 and 3 aim to evaluate and characterize the human 
exposure potential to constituents in crumb rubber infill among a 
convenience sample of 60 field users (Activity 2) and to collect 
biological specimens (blood and urine) from 45 participants (Activity 
3). During Activities 2 and 3, ATSDR and USEPA recruited and sampled a 
small number of field users in scheduled activities at fields that 
participated in Activity 1. However, the pilot scale study was limited 
in sample size and scope.
    The agencies are requesting a new information collection request 
(ICR) for a two-year PRA clearance to conduct a supplemental data 
collection, now titled ``Exposure Characterization and Measurements 
during Activities Conducted on Synthetic Turf Fields with Tire Crumb 
Rubber Infill''. Preliminary results from the pilot scale study 
indicate the need for further investigation for a select group of 
chemicals to which field users may potentially be exposed. The proposed 
study will be a larger-scale assessment of exposure potential for 
individuals who use/play on synthetic turf fields with tire crumb 
rubber infill that will address key limitations; specifically, the 
sample size limitations in the pilot scale study and the lack of a 
comparison population. The study will include persons who use synthetic 
turf fields with crumb rubber infill (e.g., field users) and who 
routinely perform activities that would result in a high level of 
contact to crumb rubber. The study will also include persons who play 
on natural grass fields. Persons

[[Page 66266]]

who play on natural grass fields will provide a comparison group and 
allow for evaluation of exposures to constituents in tire crumb rubber 
among synthetic turf field users.
    The respondents will be administered a detailed questionnaire on 
activity patterns on synthetic turf with crumb rubber infill. This 
instrument will be used to characterize exposure scenarios, including 
the nature and duration of potential exposures. Additionally, the 
questionnaire will include queries on potential external sources, such 
as dietary sources, to select chemicals. We will collect urine samples 
pre- and post-activity. The urine samples will be analyzed for 
polyaromatic hydrocarbons and also archived for future analysis in the 
event of new analytical methods for potential chemicals of interest.
    The research study will screen a total of 220 participants for 
eligibility. The target sample size for synthetic turf field users is 
150 and 50 for the natural grass field users. The total burden hours 
for the research study is 184 hours among all of the 220 respondents. 
There is no cost to the respondents other than their time.

                                        Estimated Annualized Burden Hours
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                                                                                      Average
                                                     Number of       Number of      burden per     Total burden
      Type of respondents           Form name       respondents    responses per   response  (in     (in hrs.)
                                                                    respondent         hrs.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adult/Adolescent Field Users..  Eligibility                  110               1            5/60               9
                                 Screening Form.
                                Adult and                    100               1           30/60              50
                                 Adolescent
                                 Questionnaire.
                                Exposure                     100               1           20/60              33
                                 Measurement
                                 Form.
Parents/Guardians of Youth/     Eligibility                  110               1            5/60               9
 Child Field Users.              Screening Form.
                                Youth and Child              100               1           30/60              50
                                 Questionnaire.
Youth/Child Field Users.......  Exposure                     100               1           20/60              33
                                 Measurement
                                 Form.
rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
    Total.....................  ................  ..............  ..............  ..............             184
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Jeffrey M. Zirger,
Acting Lead, Information Collection Review Office, Office of Scientific 
Integrity, Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2018-27854 Filed 12-21-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4163-18-P