Advantages of Rubber Mulch

• Rubber mulch keeps old tires out of landfill sites. The rubber surface is easily leveled with a garden rake and kept clean with a spray from your garden hose. The surface drains well and is playable in just a few minutes after a cleaning or rain shower. No residue transfers to children or their clothing. The rubber pellets resist dispersal and therefore rarely require replacement. The product is odor free, nonabrasive and mold and rot proof.
  
  

Disadvantages of Wood Mulch

• Wood mulch will rot or mold over time due to its tendency to absorb and hold water. Insects are attracted to damp wood mulch and may use the material as a breeding ground. As wood mulch contracts or disperses, more product is required to maintain impact attenuation and avoid injuries. Cold weather hardens wood mulch as ice crystals form in the wood fibers. Injuries may occur as young children drop from heights to a rock-hard surface below playground equipment.
  
  

Shock Absorption Comparison

• The United States Testing Company, Inc., and the Consumer Products Safety Commission tested the shock absorption capability of various playground surfaces spread at a depth of 6 inches for each of the test products. Asphalt demonstrated high injury potential for a fall from a height of only 1 foot. Uniform wood chips, bark mulch and wood mulch provided impact protection for falls of 6 to 7 feet. Rubber mulch outperformed them all with protection from drops of up to 12 feet.
  
  

Other Considerations

• Playgrounds with wood mulch bases may be unusable in wet and cold conditions because the cleanliness, dryness and overall safety of the material is compromised. Rubber mulch extends playing time and provides a safe landing in all weather conditions. In schoolyard applications, there is less need to assess the playground equipment before allowing its use and fewer days that teachers must patrol the area to enforce playground equipment closure. Fewer trips to the school nurse or the hospital emergency room benefit everyone.