Rubber Bark™ Works Well with Pools

Rubber Bark™ is great for outlining pools, ponds and other standing water sources, because it doesn't soak in water, like soil, or wood mulch, and it floats!

Check out customer Robert's new landscaping near his snazzy pool in San Diego.

This is just one of the ways Rubber Bark's intuitive design and purpose can work for your outdoor and landscaping needs.

More info is available at Rubber Bark's recently redesigned website. And make sure to calculate your costs for Rubber Bark™ using your space measurements with Rubber Bark's handy calculator.

Happy swimming!

Hello, We Have Missed You!

Hello all you faithful Rubber Bark™ buzzers! We have been mighty busy cooking up some great rubber ground cover deals, so our sincerest apologies for not bringing you the latest in the recycled rubber industry.

We have a new website for you though! Complete with a seamless ordering system, a new reseller's corner, and much more media about our signature bark. We hope you like it as much as we do.

Stay tuned for more updates about the most recent Rubber Bark™ happenings!

Scrap Tire News on Synthetic Turf Fields

A new edition of Scrap Tire News indicates that, using CalRecycle data, there are virtually no health risks for outdoor fields made of artificial turf. Check out a piece of the article below, and support companies, such as Rubber Bark™, that make products that are not only eco-friendly, but also completely safe.

Playgrounds and Synthetic Turf Fields There have been concerns about the health implications of the use of recycled tire crumb in playgrounds and in synthetic turf athletic fields. In response to these concerns, EPA conducted a Scoping Level Field Monitoring Study of Synthetic Turf Fields and Playgrounds. The final report was issued in 2009 and concluded that on average, concentrations of components monitored in this study were below levels of concern. To supplement this study’s limited data, EPA met with state and local representatives in 2010 to review other available field monitoring studies including a 2010 study conducted by the state of Connecticut which concluded that exposures and risks were not elevated (relative to what is commonly found in outdoor air) for either children or adults using the fields. A 2010 report by the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery examined the possible human health risks of outdoor athletic fields made from artificial turf containing recycled crumb rubber with respect to skin abrasions, bacteria harbored by the turf, particulate matter, and volatile organic compounds. The report concluded these fields do not pose a serious public concern, with the possible exception of an increased skin abrasion rate on artificial turf relative to natural turf. At this point, EPA does not believe that the field monitoring data collected provides evidence of an elevated health risk resulting from the use of recycled tire crumb in playgrounds or in synthetic turf athletic fields. Ultimately, he use of recycled tire crumb or any other playground materials is a state and local decision.

NSPX3- "Good vs. Bad Rubber Bark"

We came across this interesting tidbit (and video!) the other day when we were perusing the interwebs for rubber mulch related news and were so excited to see NSPX3 give a shout out to Rubber Bark™!

BAD BARK! 

The company was right in saying that there can be two very different kinds of rubber mulch in playgrounds throughout the country. Some rubber mulch companies can leave in harmful metal from the tires and, once dyed a certain color, can fade rather quickly. Some mulches also let their "true colors" show, with the nylon of the tires left exposed, which may cause skin irritation.

GOOD BARK! 

However, Rubber Bark™guarantees its color will stay true and goes through quite the rigmarole to ensure that no metals or other harmful substances are hiding in the rubber. Plus, Rubber Bark™ has a consistency to it, with its colors, size of the bark, and its texture, that other mulches may overlook.

Rubber Bark's other wonderful products

We spend a lot of time discussing all the benefits of Rubber Bark™ on thee ol' buzz (and there are many!), but because it's April, the month of Earth Day, we want to give a shout out to Rubber Bark's other wonderful products, all of which are just as environmentally friendly as our signature mulch.

Rubber Bark™ is great for animals, but so are Ag Mats, also made of recycled tires, and come in two varieties, flat or pebble top. Horses love these mats, as it protects their hooves against moisture on the ground, and is flexible enough to support their weight.

Then there are the fabulous outdoor tables and benches. They are also made of 100% recycled scrap tires (see a pattern here?) and are made to last at least ten years, as opposed to wood, which can deteriorate due to acclimate weather and use. No staining or preservatives needed, the sturdy outdoor furniture looks great in a community park or small garden.

The last of the recycled tires lot is infill crumb rubber. You may have seen it being used as a part of asphalt for roads, in outdoor tracks for synthetic ground cover, or any of the other numerous ways this durable product can be used. Considered as safe as it gets by the EPA, infill crumb rubber is not only a smart choice, its a eco-conscious one too, as no new resources are being used.

And last, but definitely not least, are Bender Boards. These futuristic landscape liners are made of recycled plastic, and add an aesthetically pleasing look to gardens, yards, edging, and walkways. They are water resistant (which means they won't rot, crack, or splinter!) and can take multiple meetings with lawn mowers and weed whackers. 

CalRecycle Grant Applications DUE TOMORROW

Yes, that time of the year is almost here. And if you are in the middle of filling out an application, or suddenly have the urge to potentially receive thousands of dollars worth of Rubber Bark™ on the state's dime, than grab an energy drink and call Rubber Bark™ with your project idea, that is of course, assuming that you are a part of a public entity that is eligible for CalRecycle's tire-derived product grants.

Rubber Bark™ is here to help with the last minute snafus or calculations for rubber mulch and other products available.

To turn in your completed application online go to CalRecycle's Grants Management System Web page and directions will be available.

ONE WEEK left for CalRecycle grant applications

Even more exciting than college applications, the CalRecycle tire-derived product grants applications are in its last week before the September 28 due date. If you have not already read on this blog or the CalRecycle website, these grants are for public entities including school and park districts, Native American tribal grounds, public office buildings, community plazas, etc. CalRecycle awards grantees money to purchase products, such as our signature Rubber Bark™.

Rubber Bark™ is here as a resource, especially during this final week, to help those wishing to fill out an application and be a competitive candidate for the grants. We can help with the vision of the project and provide estimates for the amount and cost of the Rubber Bark™a project may have.

There is still time!  So tell those you know, or if you are a part of a public entity to start the application process as soon as possible. Best of luck, and if you have any questions, we will be around to help.

Two Weeks Until CalRecycle Grant Apps are DUE!

Yes, only TWO WEEKS left! Yikes!

We just emailed some superintendents of California school districts and some officials involved in California's parks and recreation districts, but we won't be happy until the WHOLE STATE knows about its opportunity to have its public entity project using tire-derived products (like Rubber Bark™!) paid for by CalRecycle. It's up to those entities though to fill out the application and have a solid project idea. But, hey, Rubber Bark™ is always here to help.

Please forward this to people you may know with public entities where this could help. Can you think of a school, a playground, a community plaza, a public office, that could use some Rubber Bark™? Sure, we all can, so let them know that opportunities are out there for them!

CalRecycle TDP Grant Applications Due in 20 Days

That's right, the clock is ticking! Remember that Rubber Bark™ is here to help with the application process for CalRecycle's tire-derived product grants and wants to be a part of the project for new and/or improved public parks, playgrounds, public office landscaping, Native American tribal areas that qualify and other public entity projects that could use some good rubber mulch.

We will help with cost calculations, provide our expertise about our Rubber Bark™, its durability, its safety for playgrounds, and its environmentally-friendliness while supporting those who are applying with the knowledge we have achieved over the years by helping others who have been awarded their grants.

We know what works and what doesn't, just ask!

Reminder: CalRecycle Tire-Derived Product Grant Applications NOW Open

Yes, for sure this time, the CalRecycle Tire-Derived Product grant applications are now open for all those Rubber Bark™ enthusiasts. This is a friendly reminder to hop to it school districts, park districts, city offices, and Native American tribes, as well as all those other public entities that are eligible to apply for a grant.

And do we have to mention the FREE SUPER SACK again? If you are an interested party (say, an active community member with ties to your school board, park district, or what have you) and you want to see a project funded in your community, you have the opportunity, with Rubber Bark's guidance, to get some free Rubber Bark™ of your own. More details, from one of are previous posts, are provided, but don't hesitate to call us up with any questions!

Rubber Bark™ and CalRecycle News Release in the Merced Sun-Star

Rubber Bark™  released a news notice last week in conjunction with opening of the applications for CalRecycle's tire-derived product grants. Below is a snippet: 


"To promote the use of products made from California's millions of waste tires, the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) is offering grants through its Tire-Derived Product program for public entity projects." 


Check it out! 

Sacramento Bee Picks up Merced Sun-Star Rubber Bark™ Story

Here is the originial article from the Merced Sun-Star about Rubber Bark™ that was published last week. And here is the story in the Sacramento Bee, a little shortened. We are really excited that the press is shining a light on our business as a success story during these hard economic times.

Also: A reminder! CalRecycle opened its applications for tire-derived products grants last week, and now is the time to get going to the application process, with Rubber Bark's help. And also, as stated in a previous post, we are offering a FREE SUPER SACK to any of those individuals who seek out Rubber Bark's guidance during the application process.  The applications close on September 30th.

Tire-Derived Product Grant Applications NOW open

The day is finally here! Like Christmas we got up early because we were so excited about the TDP grant applications that are now open for public entities.

Check out CalRecycle for eligibility requirements and the general know-how of the application.

But also make sure in entrust Rubber Bark™ to help you out with the application process which includes estimations. And to sweeten the deal this time around not only are public entities (the grants proposals that are accepted) going to be swimming in Rubber Bark™ paid for by CalRecycle,  a person referring public entities to Rubber Bark™ will also get a SUPER SACK of Rubber Bark™ simply by seeking out the guidance of the wise Rubber Bark™ scholars of grant funding.

Some guidelines for getting a free SUPER SACK from Rubber Bark™ include: Make sure the person that contacts Rubber Bark™ has the "ok" from a decision maker of the public entity that is trying to get funding, such as a school district's board.

Concurrently, it's best to help encourage those on the board to pass resolutions to obtain Rubber Bark™'s services or applying by speaking to board members directly and one-on-one. Also, it would be smart to go to the meeting when the resolution is voted on.

Once Rubber Bark™ is notified that a grant package by the public entity has been submitted to CalRecycle we will send over a free SUPER SACK to the PERSON that helped the public entity get their application in shipshape and turned in on time with Rubber Bark™'s help.

The public entity will be pleased that it accomplished the application for positive change within the community and the person can feel great for letting the public entity know about the opportunity, while gently nudging it along the application process.

Applications are open until September 30th.

A collaborative project takes many components and Rubber Bark™ thinks it is a lot like Christmas - the more the merrier.

So, go forth public entities AND those who love them, on the epic journey of CalRecycle TDP grant funding. Just remember to seek wise counsel.

Applications for grant funding from CalRecycle open TOMORROW

One of our favorite days of the year is almost upon us, it's the day CalRecycle's grant funding applications for tire-derived products are open. Starting tomorrow, those who are interested in applying can finally start!

 As you buzzers surely already know, Rubber Bark™ is here to help with the process of filling out the application and estimating how much public entities such as cities, school districts, park districts, etc.,  need for their projects.

More information on CalRecycle's eligibility requirements can be found here.

The applications will be open until September 30th, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't get a head-start on making your rubber mulch dreams come true!

Also, tomorrow when the applications open we will be announcing our PROMO to go along with those public entities that seek out Rubber Bark's wisdom with the application process. So check back on the buzz because there will be more on that tomorrow!

Newman plaza gets makeover with Rubber Bark™

Recently, the city of Newman acquired a grant from CalRecycle to use Rubber Bark™ in order to replace the town's inferior wood mulch to our shredded tire bark. Volunteers and community members helped spread the mulch on a community plaza but the redwood colored bark will also be used for playgrounds throughout Newman. 

Newman workers filling a plaza with Rubber Bark™.
Source: Westside Connect

Newman Public Works Superintendent Doug Mutoza said, in a Westside Connect article, a Gustine-based online news site, that much of the 1,000 tires Newman disposes of a year end up at Rubber Bark™'s facilities to be transformed into projects, such as the 42,000 pounds of mulch used for the downtown plaza. 

From the news piece:

“It doesn’t deteriorate like wood bark, and it doesn’t compact like the wood bark, which we have to go out and fluff up every few months,” Mutoza explained. “The sponginess of this material is a lot better than the wood. Twelve inches of wood bark is required in the fall protection areas on playgrounds, while this only requires six inches."


The grant awarded the city $122,000 for the project. 


Remember if you, or someone you know in local government or those that meet any of the criteria specified by CalRecycle, have a project in mind that could use some Rubber Bark™, contact our company, and we will help with the grant application process, which officially opens on August 17th. 

The First of Many: Reminder about CalRecycle's Tire-Derived Product Grants

Next to Christmas, Back-to-School and the day your favorite team wins big (Go Giants!) the best day of the year for Rubber Bark™ is August 17th. Why you ask? Well, that's the day CalRecycle's Tire-Derived Product Grants are open for applicants! 

Do you have an amazing landscaping or playground project that just needs some good padding? (Both financial and mulch related) Well, Rubber Bark™ is here to help you along with the process.

The open application time starts August 17th and ends September 28th. According to CalRecycle, here are the projects and institutions that are eligible to apply:

"The TDP Grant Program provides grants for local jurisdictions (cities, counties, public school districts, public colleges and universities, park districts, special districts, public recreational districts, state agencies, and qualifying Indian tribes) to buy such tire-derived products as rubberized mulch, playgrounds, tracks, sidewalks, sport surfacing, traffic safety products." 

So, if you are a part of a public entity, or know someone that is, that could use some good Rubber Bark™ in their life (and c'mon, who couldn't?) let us know. We are here to help with the application, with understanding how much mulch you may need and with getting it to the project site once your application has been granted (which recipients will know January of next year!) 


For more info check out CalRecycle's site on the TDP grants, or Rubber Bark™ too, or call 209-634-8849 or leave a message in the comments and we will get back to you asap! 

Rubber Bark™ TDP Testimonial

Below is a testimonial about the wonders of Rubber Bark™ and the CalRecycle Tire-Derived Product Grants. If you haven't checked out the grants yet, they are a great opportunity to jump start your city/county/private playground/landscaping project. 

Hi,

As part of our industry wide outreach to architects who specialize in schools, we have also been presenting the TBAP story to the County meetings of school facility planners and managers.

Today we presented in Alameda County.

During the presentation Lowell Hoxie, Facilities Manager, Sunol Glen Unified School District, comes over to your  Rubber Bark™ display box, picked it up and proceeded to tell the group about how he had used a TDP grant to redo a playground using Rubber Bark from Ag Link, Inc. Both the product and the service were first class, according to Mr. Hoxie.

I can't tell you how great it feels to get that kind of endorsement from the audience, instant credibility for the product, for the industry, and for CalRecycle.

Thanks for representing the TBAP program in such a professional way.

Regards, 

Mike Tinney

Thanks Mr. Hoxie and Mr. Tinney! 

TDP is "first class" 

Rubber Bark™ and Delray Tire Featured In Scrap Tire News

Here is a link to the PDF about Rubber Bark™ and Delay Tire teaming up to give old tires a second, or sometimes third or fourth life, in the latest issue of Scrap Tire News.

To see the article in print you can order Scrap Tire News, which comes out monthly, and always has interesting stories from the industry and the world of recycled tires.

Scrap Tires, Recycling and the U.S. Mexico-Border

In 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency outlined a plan to increase awareness and clean up the environmental hazards on the U.S.-Mexico border. One of the cornerstones of the plan was to reduce the piles of scrap tires that have accumulated on the Mexico side of the border and have created a hazardous environment for residents.

scrap tire cleanup by the U.S.-Mexico border
source: EPA

According to the Rubber Manufacturer's Association, "The US-Mexico Border 2012 Program signed in 2003 has an objective to cleanup three of the largest tire piles in the border region. However, recognizing the need to take further bi-national action to abate as well as, cleanup existing tire piles, the US-Mexico Bi-national Commission held November 2004, signed a letter stating their intent to draft a scrap tire management strategy to address the border region and all of Mexico. The focus of these efforts is 'to develop and cooperate on an environmentally sustainable, comprehensive scrap tire management strategy.'"

The RMA page also has a lot of useful links to additional resources about this important issue.

So, you may be asking, what does this have to do with Rubber Bark™? In 2009, Golden By-Products, an affiliate company, was one of the few companies, along with Bulldog Rubber and Recycling in Vista, CA to receive loans for buying equipment that aids in the breakdown of the scrap tires for recycling and reusing purposes. Rubber Bark™ has taken the scrap material and made the wonderful, colorful mulch seen in backyards, playgrounds and community centers across the state, and beyond! 

We believe, as a family-owned, environmentally-conscious company that being involved in projects, such as the Mexican border cleanup, is an important role we play as stewards of our environments, including those not within our borders. 

Tire-Derived Product Grant Funding Application FINALLY Available!

After some delay, CalRecycle released the deadline (February 2nd) for applications to fund tire-derived product (TDP) related grants, and opened the application timeline. Got an idea for reusing old tires? Let Rubber Bark™ know. We can help with the application process. Here is the press release from before, with the new information incorporated.

Tire-Derived Product Grant Funding Application Now Available

 BALLICO, CA (January 3, 2010) — In an effort to promote the use of products made from California’s millions of waste tires, The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) is now offering grants through its Tire-Derived Product (TDP) program for public entity projects.

 Rubber Bark™ works closely with CalRecycle and supports the use of the grants for public projects, which in turn build sustainable market demand. Ag Link, Inc., the company that makes Rubber Bark™, is dedicated helping entities develop successful projects through project planning and assistance with the grant application, which has a deadline of 3:00 p.m. on February 2, 2011.

 To be eligible for a grant the grantee must be a public entity, such as a city, county, or public school (full list available online). Approved projects are granted 100 percent financial reimbursement to buy Rubber Bark™ and/or other tire-derived products for their project. 

 Projects may include updating a school’s playground, creating an outside community area in a housing development, or renovating existing landscape.  Eligibility and grant criteria can be found at www.calrecycle.ca.gov/Tires/Grants/Product/default.htm

 “CalRecycle’s grants give public entities the chance to implement facilities improvement projects that may otherwise be stalled or postponed in this difficult economy,” Rubber Bark™ CEO Jana Nairn said. “The simple, straight-forward grant application usually results in 100 percent reimbursement of a tire-derived product like, Rubber Bark™.”