Is It Safe To Use Recycled Tire Mulch?

Deciding if it's safe to use recycled tire mulch depends on how and where you plan to use it. Given the fact that the environmental impact of tire mulch depends largely on local conditions it's best to consider each situation on its own merits. If the rubber mulch will be used for padding a playground floor or basketball court, for instance, the dangers usually associated with this type of mulch are much less than when used in a garden.

Tire Mulch on Game Courts

In point of fact, yes it is safer to use recycled tire mulch on things like playgrounds or basketball courts than in gardens. In such cases, the safety factor actually flows both ways. It is safer for the environment because most playgrounds and basketball courts are built on top of concrete or blacktop foundations. The recycled tire mulch is laid out on top of these foundations and in many cases does not come into direct contact with the soil or water in the area. This is especially true in the case of basketball courts that are inside large gymnasiums or other buildings. On top of this, tire mulch makes it safer for the basketball player and for the child on the monkey bars thanks to its elasticity. When laid down in thick layers, it becomes springy and will cause a falling object to bounce instead of smash. In fact, the highest safe distance a child can fall from onto wood mulch is around four feet while the highest safe distance for tire mulch is ten or twelve feet. Because of this double-sided safety feature, there are some uses for tire mulch which override its environmental safety issues.

Tire Mulch in the Garden

When tire mulch is utilized for purposes other than activity safeguards it can indeed become a danger. However, it is still necessary to judge the dangers on a case-by-case basis and you may want to request the services of a professional to make these determinations. For while it is true that tire mulch can leach zinc and other chemicals into the soil and plants around it, this process is heavily dependent on the local conditions such as humidity, heat and ph levels, and the intensity of local weather in general. There is no getting around the fact that minerals from the tire manufacturing process and other chemicals picked up during the service life of the tires can leach into the soil. In large quantities, it can even kill the plants it was meant to protect. However, you should seek the advice of a professional to determine whether your local conditions are suitable for using tire mulch.