Rubber Bark is an excellent material for protecting against falls on a playground. It looks good, requires little maintenance, and is very environmentally friendly. Unfortunately, no two rubber bark manufacturers are the same and variations in both the source tires and manufacturing techniques can have a major impact on the finished product.
We got a call recently from a local school district asking us to come out and take a look at the rubber bark they had put in to their playgrounds less than a year ago. What we found was pretty shocking.
While the material in the photo is definitely recycled rubber bark we found some serious problems with it that led to us recommending it be removed from their playgrounds immediately.
The most obvious problem were the constant complaints by students that they were getting poked by metal wire left behind in the material. Because all tires contain metal wire belts one of the most important aspects of the rubber bark manufacturing process is to remove this with a series of magnets. The material on the playground had obviously gone through this process, but it was clear that they had not been thorough enough.
The next issue we found was with the coloring of the rubber bark. Our recycled rubber bark product goes through one coating of polyurethane colorant as well as a clear coat sealant that bonds strongly to both the rubber and the nylon cord that remains when tires are shredded. As you can see in the photo the black chunks have not been colored at all exposing the nylon which is both unsightly and can cause skin irritation. In addition several students (and their parents) complained that red coloring added to the bark was coming off on student’s clothing on a regular basis.
Needless to say the school district in question soon realized that while they had saved some money in the initial purchase of their material they would soon be spending a lot more money to remove and replace it due to safety concerns. You may ask: What can I do to ensure I am getting the best recycled rubber bark for playground use?
Here are some things to look for:
- Clean material free of metal, oily residue, or other debris
- Coloration that does not wipe of or transfer to clothing
- Little or no exposed nylon fibers
- Use of locally sourced recycled passenger tires
- Consistently sized chunks
- Free of foul odors, or harmful chemicals
As always, our recycled rubber bark by RB Rubber meets all of these requirements an then some at a price that is really affordable when you consider how little maintenance it requires. They have also been featured on several television documentaries including the video below which gives a great overview of their manufacturing process.
If you would like more information or a quote for recycled rubber bark click here:
