Separating the Myths for the Facts regarding Crumb Rubber

Professional athletes compete on it. Children are at play on it every day. And, it represents a growing trend in being green.

Across the nation, discarded rubber tires are being recycled and reused in innovative ways that promote safety and represent ingenuity. In as many as 50 studies conducted in state after state, on the national level, and around the world, researchers have reached the same conclusion... Crumb rubber used in artificial turf or as a playground surface poses no significant health or environmental risk.

In December 2009, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) became the latest regulatory body to draw this conclusion. Their review of crumb rubber infill used in athletic fields and playground surfaces found that concentrations of materials in tire crumb are below levels considered harmful. The EPA conducted its field study from August through October 2008 and took samples from multiple locations in different parts of the country.

Moreover, recycling old tires into useful, safe products also prevents hundreds of thousands of scrap tires from littering landfills or the countryside.

KNOW THE FACTS ABOUT CRUMB RUBBER PRODUCTS.

Crumb Rubber: Separating the Myths for the Facts

Here are some other important facts...

The process of recycling tires saves millions of used tires from ending up in stockpiles or landfills. According to the Rubber Manufacturers Association, 89.3 % of the scrap tires generated in the United States are recycled and reused. This represents more than 265 million tires.

Recycled rubber that is used as a playground surface promotes safety because it does not decompose or blow away. It is non-toxic and does not harbor insects or mold.

A six-inch layer of recycled rubber playground mulch can cushion a child's fall from as high as 12 feet.

Replacing a grass field with a synthetic athletic field utilizing recycled rubber can save as much as 50,000 gallons of water per week during the peak growing season. It also eliminates the need to use toxic pesticides and fertilizers.

Consult these websites for more information on recycled rubber and related products:

Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries: www.isri.org
Rubber Manufacturers Association: www.rma.org
Synthetic Turf Council: www.syntheticturfcouncil.org
Tire Industry Association: www.tireindustry.org


CRUMB RUBBER: SEPARATING THE MYTHS FROM THE FACTS