Americans throw out tons o’ tires each year. In 2003, we threw out approximately 290 million scrap tires. But the good news is, more and more are being recycled. In 1990, only about 17% of our discarded tires were reused or recycled; by 2003, about 80.4% were being recycled. Scrap tires can be used for many things, but until now, I did not know that they could be used for rubber sidewalks.
How Many Tires in Rubber Sidewalk?
It takes one tire to make about one square foot of rubber sidewalk. That means that for every 400 square feet of rubber sidewalk made, two tons of scrap tires are kept out of the landfill! Very good.
Who Invented Rubber Sidewalks?
I’m glad you asked. Richard Valeriano, the Public Works Inspector for the city of Santa Monica, California, invented these. His thinking was that they would be able to bend around growing tree roots, thus cutting down on the maintenance needed to keep the sidewalks up to snuff. After testing the rubber sidewalks in Santa Monica for three years, they are now on the market.
Rubber Sidewalks Save Money
Yes, that is true. When concrete sidewalks crack, they have to be entirely demolished and rebuilt. So much money and time (and resources). But with rubber sidewalks, they can be lifted for periodic tree root trimming and replaced at a fraction of the cost of concrete sidewalks.
Health Benefits of Rubber Sidewalks
With rubber sidewalks, there are no cracks where people can trip and get hurt. Also, it is easier on the ol’ knees than walking/jogging on concrete sidewalks.
I’d like to get a chance to check them out in person. If anyone has tried them out, please let me know how rubber sidewalks made from recycled tires compare to old-school concrete sidewalks.
May 3rd, 2008 at 1:12 am
we are interested starting a project in the city of Desert Hot Springs CA, installing rubber sidwalks. Please call email me with more information on how I may be able to do this.My name is James Davis
May 14th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
This is flat out incredible. What a simple yet profound idea. Think of the energy consumption of concrete sidewalks as well as the expense and maintenance. I have walked on rubber ground material before on playgrounds and it is a nice relaxing experience. This will be huge. (you may want to remove the previous poster’s phone number.
May 27th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
NOt only is making sidewalks out of rubber or non-concrete materials good for the knees, legs, ankles, back, hips and feet, it is also good for global warming. Concrete, including the light color of it will speed up global warming because it is not letting the sun or rain get through to the earth. I do think that the subsoil or even topsoil pressed down is the best sidewalk for people to walk on. Remember walking on that dirt path in the hills and remember walking on the concrete path in town? You are more relaxed, less prone to anger and healthier on a softer walking surface. I am in Hawai’i and it is so sad to see people suffer as they walk on the hardest concrete I have ever walked on, when the earth here is such rich, soft ground. It is preposterous that we make concrete sidewalks so that high heels can walk safely on it. High heels were one of the worst inventions! NOw, do you think that we can make sidewalk material or filling from the plastic bottle/junk mass in the Pacific Ocean? That would be a treat. Save the poor animals who swim under that junk that we casually throw away too much of the time. Look it uP! Thanks,
Monica
June 2nd, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Our neighborhood has some of these sidewalks installed 6 years ago, and a playground surface installed 3 years ago. They are not at all what was promised. The older surface is full of holes and has weeds and grass growing through it. The grass within 6″ or so of all installations has died completely due to leaching of chemicals from the tires into the soil, and the ground is literally dead.Rubber tires have zinc, cadmium and arsenic, among other chemicals. We have a 100′ tree that is dying because its roots are being smothered by what we were told was a totally water permeable material. Water can’t get in and ground moisture cannot escape. The tree is being cooked. Rubber attracts and holds heat. Its temp is at least 15 degrees higher than the ambient temperature. Also, rubber can be set on fire and is difficult to put out. This is not the answer.
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:59 am
Thanks for letting us know about how these rubber sidewalks work out in real life. I wonder if there is a way to treat the rubber to get those toxic chemicals out before turning them into sidewalks?
June 22nd, 2008 at 8:18 pm
The economics are a problem. It costs about 30% more per square foot to pave with poured rubber than concrete, and quite a bit more to use manufactured modular rubber paving squares (which at least allow water to pass through the spaces between the pavers, better for trees and the soil). Pre-treating the material to remove the chemicals would add quite a bit to the cost, I am sure, and put us back to the beginning, with concrete as the only affordable option. And what municipality has a whole lot of extra money lying around right now? But rubber is not a good choice for the environment in my opinion.
As for rubber playground coverings being a good experience, I would invite you to stand around on one for an hour on a sunny day in a hot climate. The rubber can literally burn a child’s skin, and the stench rising from the surface is horrible. I’m afraid that the excitement over finding a use for all those millions of tires in landfills has been similar to the discovery of new drug that at first looks like the miraculous cure for a terrible disease and only later turns out to be have disastrous side effects.
When I was a child, playgrounds were on the ground. I don’t remember it being all that terrible.
July 3rd, 2008 at 4:59 pm
I am concerned as to what will happen with dog shit and these paths. Will the dog shit leave any un sightly marks??? Also, if they are penatrible with water whats the score with dog piss??? Does it stink like fuck?????
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Also, the kids round my way are setting bins on fire to get stoned on the fumes.. whats the script with torching these pavements??? will I start to trip out if I decide to burn the dog shit off the path with a blow torch???? Fuck me,, that would be awesome
July 3rd, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Are you related to the serial killer Fred West?? If so, I think you can handle those little buggers setting fire to trash bins. As for burning the rubber sidewalks, I imagine the fumes would definitely do something to your brain.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:19 am
Unfortunately, burn tests do show that if an accelerant is used, the rubber walks will burn for long periods and be difficult to put out, just like tires in landfills. If someone simply drops a lighted cigarette on it, that’s not a problem. It won’t ignite. But if vandalizing kids decide to have some fun one night with some lighter fluid or other flammable liquid, it could be very bad.
July 25th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Can the rubber sidewalks be plowed by machine in the winter or must snow be removed by hand ? Also what is the lifespan of one of these rubber squares, do they wear down ?