Recycled Rubber Makes Playgrounds Safer For Children
Parents and researchers alike know that play is incredibly important to childhood development, so it makes sense that we should all be paying close attention to how and where play takes place. For many young kids, playgrounds are arenas of great adventure and critical developmental milestones. Playgrounds are a place where physical, emotional, social, and cognitive skills can advance and grow through exploration and interaction.
As parents are especially aware, playgrounds are also spaces of climbing, running, jumping, and yes, falling. While some falls are easy to brush off and move on, others aren't so simple. U.S. emergency departments treat more than 200,000 children for playground-related injuries each year. In fact, about 45% of playground injuries are severe fractures, internal injuries, concussions, dislocations, and amputations, and research shows that more than 70 percent of all injuries that occur on playgrounds involve falls. The materials used in the design of a playground can have a major impact on fall severity. Surfacing materials such as asphalt, cement, dirt, gravel, and more can tear into skin and cause more severe injuries, while materials like crumb rubber and rubber tile/surfacing can help cushion falls of up to 12 feet and prevent such impacts.
In addition to providing safety benefits, playground surfacing is also critical for creating accessible spaces. With many playgrounds not designed to accommodate children with disabilities, parents and children are unfairly burdened with traveling long distances to take their children to playgrounds specifically designed for their needs. However, new materials made from recycled rubber have made it easier than ever to build and remodel playgrounds with accessibility in mind. In fact, poured-in-place rubber surfaces "exceed ADA standards and are deemed universally accessible for children with disabilities." They are considered by design professionals to be one of the most, if not the most, accessible and safe playground surface option. Further, poured-in-place rubber absorbs falls from significant heights, making it safer for those with mobility issues. Additionally, wheelchairs can easily roll over it, allowing for playgrounds to be more inclusive spaces.
Some cities, like Bowling Green, Kentucky, are already benefiting from remodeling local playgrounds with recycled rubber. In 2020, WNKY reported that a mulch-covered playground was preventing some children with disabilities from navigating the space, so the community, thanks to a Kentucky Waste Tire Crumb Rubber Products Grant, was able to expand the playground to include an area laid with wheelchair-accessible crumb rubber. Design changes like these are simple, important steps to expand playground usage to all children.
Overall, with local communities already calling for safer, more accessible playgrounds and others already implementing them, it's clear that this is an emerging priority for parents across the country. Utilizing recycled rubber surfacing is a simple first step to building play environments that allow children to experience the crucial benefits associated with play, while also mitigating the risks of falls and severe injuries. With the adoption of recycled rubber surfacing backed by science, it's time for public and private playgrounds to make the move toward creating play spaces that every child can safely enjoy.