• What is it about?
  • Introduction: Video clip New life in the countryside
  • Technology: hot and cold grinding
  • Design: Colour-coated rubber granules
  • Teamwork: Granulate designer
  • Educational game: Granulate colour checker
  • Learning quiz: 5 questions about rubber granules
  • Excursus: Rubberised asphalt

What is it about?

Rubber granulate from used tyres is a valuable secondary raw material for a wide range of sustainable, durable products for the landscaping industry. The granulate is obtained from used tyres in an environmentally friendly recycling process, can be individually coloured, moulded into any shape and poured onto playgrounds, running tracks or green spaces, for example. The high-quality new products made from rubber granulate (ELT) are robust, weather-resistant, non-slip and easy to maintain.

The use of as-new recycled products made from rubber granulate in landscaping helps to promote the circular economy, avoid waste, conserve natural resources and reduce CO2 emissions. Every tonne of used tyres that is recycled (and not incinerated) saves 700 kg of CO2 emissions.

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Contents

Lesson 5: Raw material rubber granulate 1
Lesson 5: Raw material rubber granulate 2
Start of lesson 5: Rubber granulate as a raw material

Introduction: Video clip New life in the countryside

We have prepared a short film to introduce the topic and raise pupils' awareness of the importance of using recycled products made from the secondary raw material tyre rubber granulate. It begins with the problems and possibilities of disposing of around 3.4 million tonnes of used tyres in Europe every year, and then moves on to the ideal way to recycle tyres - environmentally friendly recycling. The film presents the first possible applications of recycled products made from rubber granulate.

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Technology: hot and cold grinding

There are two processes for the professional processing of tyre rubber into granulate and flour of different grain sizes: cold grinding and hot grinding.

In cold grinding, pre-shredded tyre chips are embrittled and ground using liquid nitrogen (LN2). The disadvantages of this technology are the relatively high cost of liquid nitrogen (1 to 2 tonnes of LN2 per tonne of used tyres) and the small surface area of the tyre chips.
glass-like crushed rubber granulate/rubber flour.

In hot grinding, the tyre chips are gradually crushed to the desired particle size at ambient temperature in high-speed granulators or mills. The disadvantages of this technology are the high energy consumption and comparatively high wear costs for granulator knives.

Pupils can eat hot and cold ground Literally scrutinising rubber flours and rubber granules from NEW LIFE partner MRH.

Tip: Click on a granule to enlarge it with the magnifying glass

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Lesson 5: Rubber granulate as a raw material 3

Design: Colour-coated rubber granules

Rubber powder and rubber granulate from used tyres is available in different grain sizes for various applications and recycling products in landscaping.

NEW LIFE partner Genan offers colour-coated rubber granules for top layers on playgrounds, running tracks, footpaths, cycle paths and the like. GENAN COATED TOP LAYER is a high-quality, colour-coated recycled rubber granulate with a particle size distribution of between 2.0 and 4.0 mm (in contrast to traditional EPDM or TPV top layers). The granules are available in six colours.

TIP: You will find samples of GENAN COATED TOP LAYER in four different colours in the free sample pack to accompany your lessons. You can request the pack without obligation here.

For artificial turf, GENAN COATED INFILL is a colour-coated alternative to the traditional black rubber granules from Genan - available in two different colours: NATURE GREEN and EARTH BROWN.

In class, students can discuss which landscaping products can be produced with a top layer of coloured recycled rubber granulate.

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Lesson 5: Rubber granulate as a raw material 4

Teamwork: Granulate designer

Rubber granulate from used tyres can be individually moulded or poured. For example, into elastic floor coverings for playgrounds, green spaces, running tracks, paths and terraces. Coloured EPDM infill granules can be used to make the surfaces of rubber flooring even more slip-resistant, weatherproof and colourful. EPDM (ethylene propylene diene (monomer) rubber) is a weather and UV-stable plastic (synthetic rubber).

EPDM infill granules are now available in 28 different standard colours, giving landscapers new freedom when designing surfaces. The EPDM granules in the colour "Hertha blue" have been the eye-catcher in Berlin's Olympic Stadium since 2009 (at that time still listed as a special colour) and were virtually involved in the famous sprint world record.

With the 3D designer from NEW LIFE partner Melos students can get creative themselves and design their own EPDM granulate colours for different floor coverings. Who will create the most beautiful colour pattern?

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Lesson 5: Rubber granulate as a raw material 5

Educational game: Granulate colour checker

Coloured EPDM infill granules for rubber flooring are UV and weather resistant. They are extremely high quality and durable. The now 28 standard colours of EPDM granules whet the appetite for summer and sunshine (sand yellow), stand for calm and serenity (gentian blue), embody urban chic (iron grey) or symbolise strength and confidence (Hertha blue).

Incidentally, there is no minimum order quantity for the granules in standard colours, so they can also be used on small surfaces.

In a small game, the pupils can discover the variety of colours of the granules for landscaping and show how much colour sense they have. Working in teams or as a class, they have to assign colour names to the correct colour fields. Who can do it best and fastest?

Note: You can also download, print and distribute the game. 

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Learning quiz: 5 questions about rubber granules

In a quiz, the pupils can once again engage with the topic of rubber granules in a fun way. There are four alternative answers to each question, at least one of which must be correct. The quiz can be played with the whole class in small groups or by each pupil individually. The correct solution should be discussed briefly afterwards.

Click on the graphic to display the resolution in which the correct answer(s) is/are highlighted. Click again to display the next question.

Note: The quiz questions can of course also be printed out.

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Excursus: Rubberised asphalt

NEW LIFE partner KURZ Karkassenhandel produces rubber powder of the highest quality up to a diameter of 400 my using one of the most modern fine grinding plants in Europe. The raw material used is peelings from truck tyre retreading.

The high-quality AOKTO rubber powder is not only used in floor coverings on sports fields and playgrounds, anti-slip mats or sound insulation. It is also ideal for modifying asphalt and bitumen. The rubber modification of roads reduces rutting and cracking and ensures a long service life.

To demonstrate the quality of the rubber asphalt directly on its own premises, KURZ had asphalt modified with AOKTO rubber powder applied to its own premises.

You can discuss with the class the advantages of rubberised asphalt and whether it can be
can be used in landscaping. 

More information about this project and about the advantages of rubber-modified asphalt.

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Lesson 5: Rubber granulate as a raw material 6

Certificate of participation for pupils and trainees

You can issue students and trainees with a certificate of attendance to document their successful participation in the eight lessons. The Free template for the certificate can be requested here without obligation.

Request your certificate of participation now free of charge and without obligation
Lesson 5: Rubber granulate as a raw material 7

Free sample pack with teaching material to accompany your lessons

Lesson 5: Rubber granulate as a raw material 8

To better convey the lesson content in class, you can free of charge and without obligation request a sample pack with material samples and GaLaBau demo products.

The package includes material samples of shredded tyre rubber and coloured rubber granulate, sustainable landscaping products made from tyre rubber granulate and a sample box with samples of sustainable floor coverings for sport and play.

I hereby request a free, no-obligation
NEW LIFE sample pack for the GaLaBau classroom.

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