Is the Air in Bouldering Gyms Safe? Chalk Dust, Rubber Particles and Health Risks

Exercising is healthy, so is bouldering. By some it is said that bouldering is the sport in which you train most individual muscles. But then I often sit in the gym waiting to catch my breath watching all these particles of chalk floating around in the air of my bouldering gym. At those times I wonder what these particles are doing to my lungs and my health. 

Is the Air in Bouldering Gyms Safe? Chalk Dust, Rubber Particles and Health Risks
particles of chalk, dust and rubber are floating in the air of bouldering gyms, what effect do they have?

Is it healthy to breathe the air in bouldering gyms? What does science say about this? Well in short: 

  1. Indoor bouldering gyms have on average a higher concentration of airborne dust. 
  2. Chalk is the major source.
  3. Climbing shoes contribute their particles of rubber dust in the air too. 
  4. You exercise thus your breath more thus inhale more of these particles. 
  5. Climbing in a bouldering gym can be compared to living near a highway. But the particles are different.
  6. We have only been bouldering in gyms for a short amount of time, so we do not know the long term effects.

What’s in the air of a bouldering gym? 

  1. Chalk dust.
    On average between 2 to 40 times more (depending on how busy the gym is) compared to other gyms (athletics and such)
  2. Rubber.
    Friction is the key factor to stand or fall off the wall. And with this friction a lot of rubber is released into the air. Articles have shown that this rubber is airborne and other studies have measured negative effects of this on animals. Yet we do not know if these particles inhaled in gyms will cause any illness on climbers. But safer rubber could improve health conditions.
  3. C02
    When gyms get crowded the C02 accumulates and if there is not enough ventilation this gas increases. 

Comparing it to other environments

Ok, we know what is floating in this air of sweaty smelly bouldering gyms. But how does this compare to other gyms? 

Lets not compare the C02 concentrations, we all can acknowledge that this will be comparable with other gyms. 

But the chalk and rubber? Well other kinds of gyms have similar challenges according to a review done in 2020. Other facilities have to deal with their own air issues. Indoor facilities such as ice hockey, gymnasium, horse back riding or motorcycles all have specific dust or gases floating around. Not only because of the use of these substances but also because people are moving about. More dust would float around when a horse or person was running along. 

Highways and roads are another comparable source of rubber and dust. Let alone the additional gases that cars produce… metals, combustion and such. I am not saying its healthy, but I am just pointing out that everybody is already exposed to these kinds of conditions when you bike to work or when you go for your weekly run.

Differences between bouldering gyms

Each gym is different. Ventilation conditions are so different. Some gyms are within a basement without proper ventilation installations, others in a factory hall with big vans and where big doors are open all day long. 

Cleaning routines will also be of big influence. A gym that has dust robots working all day long will prevent so many particles from floating freely compared to gyms that use brooms once a while.

Exposure: the amount of time someone would spend in the gym is a big factor too. People working there spending more than 8 hours a day 5 days a week will inhale so many more particles compared to someone spending 3 hours 3 times a week.  

The last factor is a specific house rule. I have been to multiple bouldering gyms where I was only allowed to use liquid chalk. This will release way less particles compared to my chalk bucket which will leave a dust trail everywhere I would use it.

All these factors will influence how many particles are floating around. 

What would these particles do to us?

The smaller the particle sizes the deeper these will penetrate in our lungs. The world health organisation has established guidelines for exposure. Some measurements have shown that peaks in gyms have exceeded these norms. 

Inhaled dust could irritate our airways, especially those who are sensitive to dusty conditions or have respiratory conditions such as asthma. But so far I did not find any study confirming a relationship between the dusty conditions in gyms with actual illnesses or conditions. 

Bouldering gyms are still a relatively new phenomenon I can not but worry about things we might discover in the future. My father worked with asbestos in the 70 and 80s when the regulators too declared that it was all good. Not a decade later asbestos was banned. Now I won’t expect this kind of big revelation about climbing chalk, but still I worry sometimes what the future might unveil. 

What should we do?

I can’t tell anybody to do anything. I just know I can not stay away from bouldering gyms. This research will influence my habits a little. First I might just consider going to the gym at less crowded times. Not only do I like it better when I can move around without bumping into people and more walls are available for me to climb without waiting on someone to tumble off. Now I have a new reason less particles in the air. 

Second, I will appreciate open doors and windows more. I am a person that is easily cold. Open windows and doors always made me chilly, especially at the start of my session when I am still cold. Now I will appreciate that breath of fresh air. 

Thirdly, my gym is not very keen on cleaning. I have been complaining about the mold in the shower for a long time, and still it is not clean… Yet if they will prioritize vacuuming over cleaning the shower I might accept the mold easier, although, is mold more harmful than bouldering gym dust? 

In any case, lets encourage the gym owners to: clean, open windows and use liquid chalk. That way we might wait for the science to proof the effects of what the chalk and rubber dust particles do to our body.

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