This solution comes in the form of recycled truck tyres; the granular rubber material made from the tyres covers the 500-metre-square surface is said to be soft, safe, porous and able to be coloured – in other words, says Bridgestone, an ideal material for sports and recreation. Work started at Easter and was completed in June.
The Forest School in Timperley, Altrincham, came to Bridgestone for advice last year on the project. Bridgestone already had a relationship with the school through its “Dreams at heArt” children’s drawing contest and other road safety education activities. Bridgestone put the school in contact with the recycling contractor and negotiated the package.
“Everybody is delighted with the new playground,” commented the head of the school. “We spoke to Greg Ward from Bridgestone, who looked to provide us with a new eco solution for our new playground. The end result is fantastic. Parents, teachers and kids are all delighted with the new playground. Because of its porous structure, we no longer have puddles all over the playground. And it’s soft enough to protect the children when they fall. We’re extremely pleased that Bridgestone assisted us on this eco project.”
A significant proportion of end-of-life tyres are shredded into tyre-derived aggregate – used as a substitute for sand and gravel in construction, roads and railways – or reduced to granular rubber after removal of steel and fabric components. Granular rubber can be used in many applications including roofing, flooring, noise barriers … and school sports facilities. (Tyres & Accessories/Staffordshire, U.K.)
