As we know the EPA recommends Ground rubber — also called “tire crumb” or “rubber mulch” — is recovered from scrap tires or from the tire retreading process. It is used in road construction and in a number of athletic and recreational applications, including ground cover under playground equipment, running track material, and as a soil additive on sports and playing fields.
Crumb rubber is often used in artificial turf fields as “infill” between turf fibers to provide stability, uniformity and resiliency to artificial turf fields. Artificial turf was developed in the mid-1960s and has since gained widespread popularity around the country. Synthetic turf was originally used in stadiums and on athletic fields for college and professional sports teams, but now is also used in municipal parks, golf courses, playgrounds, cruise ships, and airports. There is also a growing residential market.
Also quoted via EPA: Playground surfaces can contain recovered rubber and PVC materials that are often more desirable than wood chips, sand, or asphalt, because they can provide more cushioning and thereby may be safer for children. You can find playground surfaces made with recovered materials at schools, military bases, and housing developments.
In addition the CPSC provides a safety playground manual, you will find pages 3,4 and page 9 at http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/325.pdf playground safety manual and playground surfacing. For a clear picture that rubber mulch products are highly recommended.
With an article written by By Sara Plummer World Staff Writer at Tulsa World – Samples from shredded tire and crumb rubber used in a small number of playgrounds and playing fields were found to have concentrations of certain materials that were below levels of concern, according to a limited study by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The EPA still encourages local communities and groups to consider using recycled tire products for playground ground cover, soil additive on playing fields and in running track material because it absorbs impact and increases resiliency of fields and tracks.
