Athletic programs are the connective tissue of healthy communities. For kids, they're where life skills take root, like teamwork, discipline, showing up when it's hard, and committing to something bigger than themselves. For parents, they're one of the few places where the pace of modern life slows down long enough to actually connect with neighbors and loved ones.
These experiences matter. But access to quality playing surfaces has long been an obstacle for rained-out games, cancelled practices, and fields that can't keep up with the demand communities put on them. The solution? It came from an unlikely place: the tires sitting in landfills.
200 Million Tires. Transformed.
Every year, 200 million tires that would otherwise end up in landfills are recycled into crumb rubber, the material infilled into artificial turf systems and used across playgrounds, running tracks, and athletic fields nationwide.
That's not a small number. That's a material solution to two problems at once: a waste stream that would otherwise pile up in landfills, and a need for durable, all-weather surfaces that communities can actually count on.
Recycled rubber in athletic applications has been studied extensively — by the EPA, Cal EPA, Cal OEHHA, and independent researchers around the world. They've looked at players of all ages, coaches, spectators, and data from dozens of fields. They've examined biomarkers across a wide spectrum of health outcomes: cancer, asthma, skin irritation, reproductive health.
The consistent finding: artificial turf with crumb rubber infill is safe to use. The material does not change the risk trajectory for any of the health concerns studied.
This isn't a single study. It's the conclusion of dozens of independent evaluations, and the scientific consensus is clear.
Policy and infrastructure decisions almost always involve trade-offs. This one doesn't.
Recycled rubber surfaces mean:
It's not often that a single material solution checks every box. Recycled rubber does.
American Recycling Center supplies the recycled rubber granules that go into the surfaces powering playgrounds, running tracks, and more. Our recycled rubber is produced from industrial scrap rubber and available in a range of mesh sizes and packaging options to meet your project specifications.
Contact our team to learn more about our recycled rubber products and how we can support your next project.