Mulch made of Recycled Tyres

I have never heard of tires being used for mulch. You see them quite a lot in playgrounds now and a lot of the new artificial turf field have recycled tires as the "soil". I can't imagine the garden would smell so good on a hot summers day with 25 recycled rubber tires lining your flower beds....LOL

I've built a few playgrounds at schools and they used the recycled tires, so kids wouldn't get hurt if they fell. The only reason I'd think they use this is after it's been cured from chemicals and dried, would be for the black in the mix which would absort the heat from the sun to keep the soil warm? I really can't think of any other reason. Mabe someone will let us know more!

I wouldn't use it, for the reasons already stated. Since they're so gung ho for recycling it, why don't they work on figuring a way to make new tires from it? Or other products that are made from rubber, like rubber bumpers.

I have seen it. It is frequently used on playgrounds around where I live. I do not like it, it tracks in black smudgy stuff, and I sure would not put it on my garden.

some people use this for child play space - it is cleaned, but so the child doesn't get harmed if they fall.

I absolutely would not use this in the garden. I'm not even sure I would use it anywhere. How do they process the rubber so they can make pellets out of it? Probably a chemical they add to it. Where does that chemical go when the rubber is broken down and pelletized? To my mind, it's still in the rubber, which has chemicals added to it in the first place before it's made into tires. Those chemicals are probably going to leach into the ground, contaminating my soil. The reason I grow herbs and any veggies I can is to eliminate the chemical contaminants in commercially grown produce. That would make all my efforts to grow organic food counterproductive. Even if it's just used in flower gardens, how far out from the flower bed would the chemicals leach? It's just not worth risking.

Yes, I've heard of this. At first look, it does seem to be a good way of recycling. Personally, I would never, ever use this kind of mulch myself. There is a new trend where they grind up the tires and make pellets/sand from them, and then they use them in artificial turf, under playground equipment, mulch, and other ways. You are right to be concerned about leaching. They have been doing studies on them and how they impact the environment negatively, from contaminating groundwater, to water sources, and even the question of releasing carcinogens. I suggest strongly that anyone who even is considering using this stuff read this report at Environment and human health, Inc. and read the negative findings that they are having with the use of these recycled tires. http://www.ehhi.org/reports/turf/ The committee that wrote this report consists of Drs, public health professionals, and other experts. You could not pay me to use this mulch!

No moo I havent heard of this new type of mulch,and it sounds quite weird!!you cant imagine that rubber can be put to use as mulch,but then again maybe its treated or combined with something else.Rubber is so pungent you would almost think that it would be a bad thing to put near your plants and garden as opposed to a good thing..but lol what do I know!!..My Da had a very good way of recycling rubber,he used to sole our shoes with it!!..