The versatility of reclaimed rubber

 The toxic and detrimental chemical properties of rubber are increasingly becoming a point of concern for environmentalists throughout the world. Regular dumping of waste rubber in rivers and landfills has manifested the slow process of its degeneration, along with contaminating the soil and water. In sight of these, reclamation of rubber has proven to be very effective, and it has shown versatility beyond normal expectations in many areas of commercial, residential, domestic and industrial activities. Here are some important factors which show how reclaimed rubber is a versatile commodity:

• Moisture-absorbing properties – Reclaimed rubber is widely used in gardening and soil leveling, due to its ability to preserve moisture and hinder weed growth.
• Sound insulating properties – Various government agencies and hospitals require soundproof walls and compounds, and reclaimed rubber is cheap and highly effective for such uses.
• Energy-efficient production – The production of reclaimed rubber is much less contaminating and more energy efficient than that of regular rubber. Available at half of the price, it is also a stronger material. The need to use crude oil for production is minimal, thus cutting back huge costs of production.
• Strength and durability – Due to its high tensile strength and durability, reclaimed rubber is used for making conveyer belts, hosepipes and in industries, like glass, steel and clothing.

These properties of reclaimed rubber are harnessed effectively in the form of the following products -

• Tire Derived Fuel: Scrap tires cut up into square chips or shreds can be used as tire-derived fuel, or TDF, as a supplement to fossil fuels. Utility companies, industrial boilers, paper mills and cement kilns regularly use reclaimed rubber as an effective fuel.

• Applications in Civil Engineering: Tire derived aggregate, or TDA, can be used to build highway embankments, backfills for walls and abutments, sub grade road insulation, landfill construction, drainage and septic drain fields and to strengthen shore lands around bridges and oceans.

• Crumb Rubber: Crumb rubber, derived from reclaimed rubber, can be converted to asphalt rubber for highway surfaces, Play mats, athletic running tracks, new tires, automotive parts and other molded rubber products, like railroad crossties.

• Adhesives: Reclaimed rubber is used in numerous polyurethane-based adhesives, giving high-performing or premium-grade adhesives that are used as flexible waterproofing sealants. They have the added advantage of being volatile organic compounds and are inflammable.

• Recycled Rubber Mulch: Rubber mulch does not lose its color or rot like regular mulches and is hence suitable for playgrounds and landscaping. It helps retain moisture and inhibits weed growth.

• Timber: Reclaimed rubber can be recycled into maintenance free timber pieces that can be designed to provide proper drainage in landscaping.

• Flooring: Reclaimed rubber flooring is one of those very few products that are highly cost-effective and low maintenance. Easy to assemble and disassemble, these rubber floorings resist stains and general wear and tear. Reclaimed rubber flooring is fast becoming the preferred choice for flooring, owing to its huge demand, as an environmentally friendly choice.

Every day, new innovative ideas to harness the versatile properties of reclaim rubber are taking shape. It is indeed a firm step towards environmental preservation.