Where Can I Purchase Rubber Mulch?
It's the green era: reuse, reduce, recycle. Finding a use for recycled materials such as used tires may not always be easy. There is now a unique use for tires that may help reduce playground and workplace injuries, and provide a more comfortable walking surface in a variety of locations: rubber mulch. Does this Spark an idea?
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Rubber Mulch
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Tires are broken down and recycled to create rubber mulch products. According to the Rubber Mulch website, the product is a granulated form of 100 percent recycled rubber. The process of granulating the rubber involves stripping the tires of their steel banding and shredding the rubber into little pieces.
Uses
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Because of its durability, rubber mulch can serve a variety of purposes. Common uses include playground flooring, landscaping, military training courses and arena footing.
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Types
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Many companies manufacture rubber mulch products and it comes in many shapes and sizes. The mulch can be made into flat mats, pebble-like shapes and shreds. The mulch also can be combined with sand to create a softer surface. This technique is becoming popular in horse arenas.
Environmental Impact
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Because rubber mulch is made up of 100 percent recycled tires, the number of tires piling up on streets and in landfills is reducing. However, there are also disadvantages for using rubber mulch in activities such as gardening, as it does not easily biodegrade and lasts for a long time. According to Nature's Way Resources, using rubber mulch can prevent water from reaching soil and plants. Nature's Way Resources also said that when rubber mulch undergoes exposure to heat, toxic gases are released into the air. These gases can cause human health problems and create pollution.
Where to Buy
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There are several places rubber mulch can be purchased. One route is to go directly through the company Rubber Mulch to order and have the product shipped to your desired location. Another option is Home Depot or Lowe's. Rubber mulch products are available at many other gardening and outdoor retail stores both in-store and online.
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References
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- Photo Credit playground shadows image by Martin Mullen from Fotolia.com stack of old tires image by JoLin from Fotolia.com Cash image by Greg Carpenter from Fotolia.com
