This post may seem unrelated to the functions of most planners. However it relates to an issue that is near and dear to my heart, and it reflects a set of issues that we need to all think carefully about. I am talking about ensuring that our planning efforts are designed to be as inclusive as possible.
My son is a prime example, he is among a growing segment of society that is allergic to the latex protein. The allergy leads to hives, breathing difficulties and ultimately could lead to shock and death. This allergy has led my wife and I to have to look carefully at many aspects of life that others take for granted. We need to ensure that he uses leather basketballs, not latex ones for instance. And, even with these, he has to be reminded that the bladder is latex rubber and to let someone else fill the basketball if it needs air.
Where am I going with this? And, why is it a planner's issue?
Latex rubber is a problem. It has been a growing problem since the first rubber tires were rolled off the assembly line, and will remain so long after the last tire is removed from the market.
Tires cannot be land-filled. Tires should not be stockpiled as they become fire and other biological problems.
So, planners and other solid waste experts are looking for new ways to re-use tires. Spreading the toxic latex further into society than ever before. Used latex tires are being crushed and the crumb rubber being re-used in many ways. Some nearly permanently sealing the latex protein in other binders, such as when used in asphalt. Others re-uses are increasing direct exposure to latex to hazardous levels.
Especially for latex allergic people.
It is this latter re-use that many planners are involved with, not just the solid waste experts, but many of us. Crumb rubber is being used for playgrounds, athletic fields and numerous other items that bring latex into closer proximity to children than ever before. Some, in smaller particles than ever before.
Crumb rubber is being crushed and used as the soft surface under swing sets to replace wood chips. There are reports about young children ingesting these crumbs directly.
Crumb rubber is being rebound and used for solid tiles under swing sets as well. These tiles are intended to make these play areas more accessible to wheel chairs. However, the use is excluding a new group of people from these play areas - some who are even those targeted for improved access. While these tiles are more secure than the crumb rubber noted above they still may release latex into the air due to heating and simple wear and tear.
Finally, crumb rubber is being promoted for new artificial athletic surfaces as the new fields do not require watering, reducing water demand. However, if you watch a football game on these fields, such as the one in Foxborough, watch the little clouds of dust every time a player is tackled. These clouds include fine particles of rubber dust. Players are inhaling this dust. While for most this may simply be an irritant, and in itself poses a problem for asthmatics, it is a deadly risk for a latex allergic child or adult who is introducing an allergen directly into their respiratory system.
As planners, we have many decisions to make. As a parent of a latex allergic child, I want to encourage all planners to consider all possible allergens as we plan for public facilities. Especially public facilities that are intended to serve our young.
Just some additional information on the confusion on latex from recycled tires and other ground up rubber products. Below you will find an excerpt from an article that can be found in it's entirety @ www.scraptirenews.com/99oct2.html
ReplyDeleteAllergy
We consulted a pediatric allergist who informed us that the latex in tires is not the same as the allergy-causing latex in gloves and that any tiny allergy risk was more than offset by the increased safety of this surfacing. He also pointed out that kids have been sitting on tire swings for almost a century with no problem. We also consulted with a landscape architect, who had sent a sample to Children's Mercy Hospital for analysis. It was given a clean bill of health, particularly since it is not prone to grow mold or other slimy stuff. They also said the average playground usage does not provide enough friction for tiny lung injuring particles to be released.
Additionally, there are misstatements of facts in your report. Scrap tires can be land filled. In fact, there are several states that allow this proctice either by mono filling (land filling one material,in this case scrap tires) or land filling shredded tires. Some areas allow the use of shredded tires as daily cover. (end of excerpt)
The problem with scrap tires is that they can not be recycled into new tires in any significant quantity. Therefore, alternative uses must be found for scrap tire recycling. The use as playground mulch and infill in synthetic turf are two examples of this recycling.
There are hundreds of millions of tires in use on motor vehicles today. These tires wear off particles of rubber into our environment during their normal use with no known long term health hazard. Once removed from service, their composition does not change. If they are made up of materials that are hazardous to any portion of the population then we need to stop their production, unless there is no significant hazard here.