SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/134296
plement your normal maintenance practices. Using crumb rubber is not bullet proof; you will still have wear but it will wear more slowly. ST: How should turf managers respond to any environmental concerns expressed over the use of crumb rubber? Sorochan: The Environmental Protection Agency has tested and approved the use of crumb rubber in synthetic turf. In natural grass the likelihood of any exposure to the crumb rubber is unlikely. Vanini: I agree with John; other agencies, such as the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, and New York State, have looked at it and found no health problems. Parents should be more concerned about exposure on synthetic turf, not to mention the heat factor with synthetic fields. Microbial activity eventually breaks down the rubber in natural turf. Sorochan: Also, with the moisture that is held on the natural fields, it means less dust in the air. We should rely on research data to understand that no results show the crumb rubber to be unsafe; rather, using it makes fields safer. Vanini: More research is coming regarding the environmental, agronomic, and biomechanical benefits of using crumb rubber. It can make a difference in poorly managed fields. n www.stma.org CRUMB RUBBER SUPPLIER ANSWERS QUESTIONS WE ASKED ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT COMPANIES supplying crumb rubber for natural turf and synthetic turf fields, Liberty Tire Recycling, to answer some questions about their products. John Ripp, an account executive for Liberty, responded: ST: How should turf managers wanting to incorporate crumb rubber into their natural fields determine what particle size to buy? Ripp: It all depends on what type of turf stand it is. If it's a situation where we are treating a tight Bermuda or bentgrass stand, a 20 minus or 30 minus will work just fine. If it's a cool season grass stand, we suggest the 10:20 mesh (commonly used for synthetic turf infill), a 1-3 mm mesh or 1-5 mm mesh (commonly used in track construction). ST: Do you have recommendations for how to best incorporate the product—when and how often? Ripp: Although it may be directly topdressed over existing turf, we suggest you aerify first and then topdress. We suggest applying a ¼ inch per application(s) (600 lbs/1000 sq ft.) and brushing it in. [We suggest] two applications in medium traffic areas and three applications in heavy traffic areas. In cool season turf, ¾" can be achieved with two 900-lb./per 1000 sq. ft. applications. ST: How (or perhaps more appropriately, where) can turf managers buy your product? Any recommendations on reducing shipping costs? Ripp: Liberty has seven locations in the US and three locations in Canada where these products are available. As with any product, the more you order the lower the freight cost. I suggest you develop a plan of attack and order the amount necessary to complete a job successfully. For crumb rubber to be effective, multiple applications within a month's time are preferred. The objective is to cover and protect the crown of the plant as soon as possible. SportsTurf 19