US university to test rubber-infused natural grass surfaces

ERJ staff report (WRN)

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania --  Liberty Tire Recycling L.L.C. and the University of Tennessee's Center for Athletic Field Safety are joining forces to test crumb rubber.

The company and university are testing the potential role that crumb rubber could play in maintaining a natural grass athletic surface, according to a news release.

“Crumb rubber infill used on athletic surfaces provides a host of benefits,” said Mike Wezel, vice president of sales and marketing for Liberty Tire Recycling, in a press statement. “For the athlete, it offers a safer, higher-performing surface. It also lengthens play on the surface, particularly in high-traffic areas of the field.”

Pittsburgh-based Liberty Tire will fund the studies over a two-year period, with tests including simulated foot traffic to determine the best crumb rubber particle size and depth for better field performance, among others.

This report appeared in Waste & Recycling News, a Detroit-based sister publication of European Rubber Journal.

From Tire Business   (A Crain publication)

Press release from Liberty Tire Recycling