Recycled tires are being used in more applications today than ever. From flooring to railroad ties, the possibilities for recycled tire rubber continues to grow. Tire recycling not only helps keep waste tires out of landfills, but there are also several alternative uses for recycled tires that you may not even be aware of.
Using Recycled Tires in Athletic Turf
If you’ve ever stepped onto an athletic field or area covered in artificial turf, chances are you probably noticed little black beads beneath the blades of artificial grass. These black beads are crumb rubber, which is made by shredding recycled tires. Using crumb rubber for turf installation has become widely used throughout the world to improve both athlete performance and protection in addition to appearance of the area. But what you might not realize is that crumb rubber from recycled tires doesn’t just have to be used with artificial grass.
How Golf Courses Use Crumb Rubber
For several years now, golf courses have been using crumb rubber as a way to keep grass looking neat and prevent wear and tear and that is all too common on major golf courses.
Golf courses, no matter where they’re located, are known for having pristine turf. For many golfers, experiencing the flawless grounds is just as enjoyable as the game itself. But with all the wear and tear that golf course greens receive, course superintendents have a tough job to maintain the delicate grass throughout the season. Crumb rubber helps make their job a bit easier. And here’s why:
Areas of the golf course like walk-on walk-off areas, cart paths, and tee boxes receive lots of daily traffic, which causes compaction of the soil beneath the grass. When that happens, the soil loses its structure that is vital for growing ability, and grass no longer thrives on the surface. After all the grass has been worn down due to poor soil, it can be difficult to re-sod and keep the areas looking uniform and well maintained.
How Crumb Rubber Helps Maintain the Grounds
By using crumb rubber as a topdressing for the sod, it helps the soil maintain its structure that is essential for root growth. In highly trafficked areas, the crumb rubber aids in absorption and wear so that the soil beneath the grass doesn’t receive the brunt of it. Studies have shown that when compared using only sand as a topdressing, crumb rubber had much better performance in keeping greens in-tact. It aids in aeration of the grass as well as drainage of the soil. In the off-season winter months, crumb rubber has also shown to help preserve greens better than other methods for the following year.
This is just one of the many ways that your recycled tires can be used in addition to helping the environment. Learn more about how Eco Green Equipment makes tire recycling easy and cost-efficient!