This resident was swayed from installing an unsafe mulch in their children's playground.

A Minnesota homeowner couldn't decide which mulch to use for their backyard playset, and they asked locals in r/TwinCities for their recommendations. 

"We're putting in a backyard playset for our young kids and having a difference of opinion regarding using rubber mulch vs wood playground mulch beneath it," the homeowner explained. "I tried to look up whether any nearby playgrounds have rubber mulch so we could assess smell, cleanliness, and other areas of disagreement but am having difficulty."

Nearly every commenter spoke out against using rubber mulch. Rubber mulch is made from recycled tires that have been shredded down into small chunks called crumb rubber. The crumb rubber is then spread out like mulch to suppress weeds and cushion surfaces.

However, rubber mulch has many disadvantages, ranging from inconvenience to health hazards. The rubber mulch can smell, especially on hot days, and will heat up much faster than wood mulch. It's also flammable and can release toxic fumes.

Rubber mulch can expose people to metals, bacteria, and carcinogenic volatile organic compounds. Since rubber mulch is made from trashed tires, the mulch is also non-biodegradable and will contaminate soil.

Unfortunately, these shredded tires are a common mulching material, especially for children's playgrounds. Safe, sustainable alternatives to rubber mulch include wood chips, pea gravel, sand, and other natural, native grasses.

Native plants offer the added benefit of creating a beautiful landscape, all while saving you time and money. They require less water than non-natives — trimming water bills —  and don't need excessive amounts of labor. Thriving easily in their habitats, they also help pollinators do their work of protecting our food supply. 

Commenters informed the homeowner of the rubber mulch's health risks and suggested safer mulch alternatives for the playset.

"Please don't poison your kids with industrial waste," one commenter urged.

What's the hardest thing about taking care of your yard? Mowing the lawn 🏡 Controlling weeds 🌿 Keeping pests at bay 🐿️ I don't have a yard 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"My school district installed rubber mulch. A couple years later, they spent hundreds of thousands removing the toxic waste, after they considered what they had done. I suggest not paying for that," another Redditor recommended.

"Very bad for the environment, impossible to recycle when [you're] done with it. Wood chips or pea gravel is your best bet," a third user agreed.

Another user commented, "I'd be so angry if my neighbor did this."

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