AstroTurf, the Dalton based artificial turf manufacturer, settled an environmental lawsuit with the state of California, last week. The company agreed to eliminate almost all lead from AstroTurf products used on playing fields, such as the new one at Calhoun High School, along with residential yard turf.

“The turf is absolutely safe,” said AstroTurf Product Manager, Andy Belles. “We have led the in-dustry in producing the most safe products.”

California Attorney General Jerry Brown made the settlement announcement last week, bringing the suit filed in 2008 to a close. The suit was filed under California's Proposition 65 law. The propo-sition 65 was approved by voters in 1986, and requires products to carry warning labels if a product contains chemicals known by law to cause cancer or birth defect.

“Our products are considered safe across the county and in 49 other states,” said Belles.

Belles said that the AstroTurf company and the state of California have a difference of opinion in what constitutes safe.

“Our products have always been safe. We go beyond what industry levels require,” he said.

The purpose of lead in artificial turf is to maintain colors and prevent fading. The State of Cali-fornia agreed to adopt a standard of lead levels not exceeding 50 parts per million. According to AstroTurf, industry standards require synthetic turf to reduce levels to 300 parts per million or less by no later than Jan. 1, 2010, and to 100 parts per million or less by no later than Jan. 1, 2012.

“We have already helped eliminate lead levels; this settlement is just a part of being proactive,” Belles said.

Brown filed suit against three artificial turf companies last year including Beaulieu Group of Dal-ton, and FieldTurf USA Inc. of Calhoun, citing excessive lead levels found in samples of artificial turf made by the three companies.

According to Brown’s office, people can ingest harmful levels of lead by through skin absorption or by touching turf and then touching their faces.

As part of the settlement, AstroTurf agreed to pay $60,000 for testing of artificial playing affiliated with schools. The company has also agreed to send warnings to customers in California who pur-chased artificial grass in the last five years. AstroTurf also agreed to pay $170,000 in civil penalties, grants and attorney fees.

Beaulieu Group and FieldTurf USA Inc have yet to settle the suit but are in talks with the Attor-ney General’s office.