Two recent Toronto Star articles, by Heather Mallick and Laura Kane, discuss The University of Toronto’s plan to incorporate synthetic turf on its St. George campus lawn. Mallick references the “chemical carpet” invented in the 1960s and the potential health hazards presented by the use of crumb rubber in the product “provenance unknown”. We feel it is important to note that that not only are these types of products safe, but Ontario is home to the makers of many of these products, recycling the 10 million used tires that are generated here in Ontario.
What most people don’t realize is that the process for breaking down tires into crumb rubber has evolved significantly since the 1960s, driven by scientific and technological advancements that provide a higher quality of crumb and effectively separate out other tire bi-products such as metal and fibre. These advances have allowed the Ontario tire recycling industry to recycle millions of tires over the past four years in an efficient way. Today, the materials from Ontarians’ tires are repurposed into tire-derived products that are used in people’s homes, playgrounds, sidewalks, roadways, and more. They take what was once a waste material that littered landfills or was burned, and turned it into something that can help create more sustainable communities.
While we don’t want to get into a debate on the decision to use synthetic turf, we do think it is important to address a few of Mallick’s concerns. For example, she cites the Department of Health for New York State website as support for her health concerns, yet the same site concludes, “based on the available information, chemical exposures from crumb rubber in synthetic turf do not pose a public health hazard.”
In addition, a toxicity test performed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) [i] on crumb rubber compliance states that ground tire rubber or crumb rubber is “considered to be [a] non-toxic, non-metallic, principally organic, carbon based material.” Manufactured products, made from crumb rubber, are an economical alternative to products made from virgin materials, as they provide greater durability, are more shock absorbent and more slip resistant.
We too love the natural look; however sometimes performance and wear-and-tear considerations present the need for more long-term environmental and economic solutions. The sole focus should not be natural versus reclaimed materials, but should be about finding the right mix of these materials, so they can work together safely, efficiently and aesthetically. Each facility has unique needs and functionality is a key part of finding the appropriate balance of materials.
A successful and innovative example demonstrating this is the “On the Riverbank” installation at Evergreen Brick Works. Evergreen believes in both reclamation and natural materials leading to green infrastructure.
“It is about balance, understanding how space is used, passively or intensively, and creating a plan that can mix both types of materials to create dynamic spaces,” said David Stonehouse from Evergreen Brick Works.
Natural and reclaimed man-made materials, like tire-derived products, can be used together to enhance a site’s look and reduce environmental impact. To learn more about the Used Tires Program and the lifecycle of a tire, watch this video.
