Crumb Rubber Arrives at Ridgewood High School: What It Means for the Turf Field
photos courtesy of Boyd Loving
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Over a dozen large bags of crumb rubber were delivered to Ridgewood High School (RHS) today, signaling routine maintenance and surface upkeep for the campus athletic fields.
For parents, student-athletes, and local residents watching materials arrive on school grounds, questions often arise about what crumb rubber is, why it is used on synthetic grass, and what ongoing research says about field safety.
What Is Crumb Rubber?
Crumb rubber is a resilient infill material created by recycling ground-up scrap tires into small, spongy black beads. During manufacturing, steel wiring and fiber reinforcements are completely removed, leaving clean, flexible rubber granules that range in size from fine particles to small pellets.
Because of its elasticity and weather durability, crumb rubber is widely used across New Jersey and nationwide in rubberized asphalt, running tracks, playground surfacing, and synthetic turf sports fields.
How Crumb Rubber Works on Synthetic Turf Fields
In synthetic grass systems, crumb rubber acts as the functional equivalent of natural soil. Spread evenly across the turf carpet and brushed down between synthetic grass blades, it serves several key functions:
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Impact Absorption & Safety: The springy rubber granules provide essential cushioning underfoot, helping absorb shock forces when student-athletes land jumps, tackle, or fall.
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Blade Resilience & Support: Infill holds plastic grass fibers upright, keeping the field from matting down under heavy daily use.
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Traction & Performance: It offers predictable foot traction and ball bounce for sports such as football, soccer, lacrosse, and field hockey.
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Routine “Top-Offs” & Maintenance: Rain, wind, field sweeping, and player cleats cause infill to shift or wash away over time. Maintenance crews regularly deliver bags of crumb rubber to “top off” high-wear zones like goal creases, penalty spots, and midfields to keep surfaces compliant with safety standards.
Health, Environmental, and Safety Considerations
While crumb rubber remains the standard infill choice across thousands of municipal and high school athletic facilities, it continues to be a topic of discussion among local school boards and community members:
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Chemical Risks & Ongoing Research: Because crumb rubber originates from recycled tires, questions exist regarding potential exposure to chemicals or off-gassing.
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Regulatory Oversight: Regulatory bodies, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), continue to investigate and monitor the safety of tire-derived crumb rubber in playgrounds and athletic fields to ensure player safety.
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Heat Retention: Synthetic turf with black rubber infill absorbs solar radiation, causing surface temperatures to rise significantly higher than natural grass on direct summer days.
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Dust & Cleanup Protocols: Transporting and applying crumb rubber can generate dust during top-offs, prompting school facility managers to follow standard cleanup and containment measures around school property.
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Alternative Infills: Some school districts evaluate alternative infill options—such as organic cork, coconut husks, coated sand, or virgin EPDM rubber—when planning long-term turf replacements.
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