Playgrounds are much more than just places for climbing, running about and exploring. They are social meeting places, spaces for physical activity and key components of liveable towns and communities. At the same time, the demands placed on local authorities are growing: play areas must be designed to be safe, durable, sustainable and as accessible as possible. The right surface plays a key role in this. Safety surfacing systems made from recycled tyre rubber granules can help to combine safety requirements, accessibility and resource conservation in the design of public play areas.
Accessible play areas for all ages
Children should be able to play together regardless of their physical abilities. Inclusive play areas therefore require solutions that break down barriers and create safe spaces for movement. Resilient safety surfacing made from tyre rubber granules does exactly that.
Unlike loose safety surfacing materials such as sand, loose gravel or wood chips, bound safety surfacing creates level, wheelchair-accessible and low-barrier pathways. Children using walkers, walking aids or with limited mobility also benefit from these continuous surfaces. With suitable edge profiles and transitions, modern safety surfacing systems meet the requirements for accessible play areas and support inclusive play concepts.
Bespoke inclusive solutions for every requirement
In accordance with DIN EN 1176 and DIN EN 1177, the maximum free fall height on playgrounds is limited to 3.00 metres, a requirement that can be easily met using safety surfacing made from rubber granules derived from tyres. NEW LIFE partners offer a range of systems to meet the specific requirements of local authorities, schools, nurseries and other playground operators.
Seamless safety flooring – such as those from REGUPOL – are installed directly on site. They allow for custom shapes and can be adapted to different drop heights. Seamless systems open up additional possibilities, particularly in densely built-up urban areas or on rooftop playgrounds.
Fall protection slabs – including those from Conradi+Kaiser, KRAIBURG Relastec and Regupol – offer a robust, cost-effective and easily replaceable solution. Individual elements can be easily replaced as required. Different thicknesses allow for adaptation to the required fall height of play equipment. Coloured EPDM surfaces create attractive and durable play areas with a high degree of design freedom.
Properties compared with alternative fall protection materials
A comparison of different fall protection solutions reveals clear differences: fall protection surfaces made from tyre rubber granules are particularly impressive in terms of accessibility, hygiene, weather resistance, ease of maintenance and long-term cost-effectiveness.
Whilst sand, loose gravel or wood chips need to be topped up, spread or replaced on a regular basis, bound safety surfacing systems made from tyre rubber granules retain their shape permanently. Under comparable conditions of use, bound safety surfacing systems made from tyre rubber granules exhibit lower material loss and often require less maintenance and topping up than loose safety surfacing materials such as sand, loose gravel or wood chips. At the same time, the elastic surfaces offer reliable protection for fall heights of up to three metres and also allow for variable fall heights within a single area. The surfaces remain visually appealing in the long term and are significantly easier to keep clean.
Crucial for local authorities, schools, nurseries and clubs: depending on usage, site conditions and the level of upkeep required, higher initial investment costs can prove cost-effective in the long term due to lower maintenance and upkeep costs.
Thinking about resource conservation and the circular economy right from the start
Fall protection systems made from recycled rubber granules are based on secondary raw materials derived from mechanical tyre recycling, thereby supporting circular economy approaches that aim to keep materials in the material cycle for as long as possible. Mechanical tyre recycling keeps valuable raw materials in the cycle and prevents waste. Used tyres are transformed into high-quality secondary raw materials for durable products in public spaces.
Durability, weather resistance and low maintenance requirements can help to reduce material usage, maintenance costs and resource consumption over the product’s lifespan. At the same time, local authorities, schools, nurseries and clubs benefit from robust solutions that offer a long service life and low maintenance requirements.
„A good playground not only protects children from injury – it also conserves resources, keeps within available budgets and ensures inclusion for all,“ explains Christina Guth, coordinator of the NEW LIFE network. „Safety surfacing systems made from recycled rubber granules demonstrate that safety requirements, accessibility and resource-efficient material concepts can be effectively combined. Local authorities in particular are seeking solutions that take into account long-term usability, social inclusion and economic considerations.“