Iowa Scrap Tires Used to Make School Playgrounds Safer
DES MOINES - Students and staff at several Iowa schools will begin the new academic year with a safer playground thanks to a partnership between the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Iowa Association of School Boards (IASB).
The playgrounds are surfaced with recycled rubber tiles manufactured using 1.5 million pounds of crumb rubber derived from Iowa scrap tires. Because of its compression capabilities, the new playground surface greatly reduces injuries due to falls from play equipment and significantly improves handicapped accessibility. The recycled rubber tiles replace common playground surfacing materials like wood chips and pea gravel while decreasing maintenance costs.
IASB contracted with Welch Products, Inc., a subsidiary of GreenMan Technologies, Inc. to supply the rubber tiles, oversee concrete pad construction and install playground surfacing tiles at 22 Iowa Schools across the state. The DNR provided matching grants in the form of rubber tiles to selected schools.
Schools selected for grant assistance are required to host an educational program or ceremony highlighting the benefits of recycling in general and specifically the recycling of Iowa scrap tires.
"The Department believes this type of hands-on demonstration for school children and adults can show the benefits of recycling. The crumb rubber used in manufacturing these safety tiles may have originated from a scrap tire that came off of the family car," said Tom Anderson, environmental specialist, senior with the DNR. "This closed loop recycling project hopes to increase Iowans' awareness that what they recycle can be made into beneficial new products while at the same time reducing negative environmental impacts of products manufactured from virgin materials."
The playgrounds surfaced with the recycled rubber tiles will meet requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Consumer Product Safety Commission certification guidelines once installed.
Despite the weather, the project remains on track with completion of all school playground projects anticipated by early September 2008.
Source: The Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Governor Rendell Says New Facility Will Create 300 Jobs in York County
JACKSON TWP - Governor Edward G. Rendell today announced that state investments will help a leading personal care, household and specialty product manufacturer relocate some operations from New Jersey to York County, bringing at least 300 jobs to the area.
Carbon Sequestration Working Group to meet
Casper, Wyo. - On, Thursday, Aug 14, 2008, the Carbon Sequestration Working
Group will meet in Casper to discuss existing financial assurance and bonding
procedures.
Presentations will be given on financial assurance procedures for mining,
environmental clean ups ....
