Frequently Asked Questions about Majestic Rubber Mulch

How is it packaged?

Majestic Rubber Mulch is packaged a few different ways. Please contact us for packaging options.

Does it smell?

Once opened, Majestic Rubber Mulch has an odor initially. However, after a few days, the smell will dissipate.

Will Majestic Rubber Mulch freeze?

No. Majestic Rubber Mulch is hydrophobic--it does not absorb water--so it will not freeze.

Will it decompose?

Majestic Rubber Mulch will not decompose for over 200 years. When fading begins after at least ten years, you can either top-dress it with fresh Majestic Rubber Mulch or till it into the soil. Majestic Rubber Mulch is safe to till into the soil because it is nontoxic and acts as an aerator to help keep the soil from compacting. Similar rubber products such as crumb rubber are being used for the same purpose in athletic fields all across the country. You can also rake up your faded mulch to use as landfill.

What kind of insulation does it provide?

Majestic Rubber Mulch keeps soil 10° cooler in summer and 10° warmer in winter.

How much does it cover?

Since Majestic Rubber Mulch can be used for many applications, please refer to our Mulch Calculator to give you an accurate estimate on how much you will need.

Can I use Majestic Rubber Mulch with horses?

Majestic Rubber Mulch is great for horse arenas and stalls. It is easy on horses’ joints when they step on it, and it is dust free. Many of our customers mix in the rubber mulch with sand and dirt. For horse stalls, we recommend spreading the mulch at a ½ inch depth. We offer rubber mulch without a colored coating that is more cost-efficient for such use.

Is Majestic Rubber Mulch dirty?

No. Majestic landscape and playground mulches are colored using a licensed process, which seals the rubber after the desired color is applied. You can even play in Majestic Rubber Mulch in the rain.

Will Majestic Rubber Mulch stain clothes?

No. Unlike organic materials, Majestic Rubber Mulch will not stain clothes.

How do I install it?

The most ideal way to install rubber mulch is over a weed fabric. We recommend using a weed fabric and not a plastic material because plastic is not permeable. When installing rubber mulch over a weed fabric, you will never have any weed problems, and you won’t have to worry about previous mulch debris mixing with it. Majestic Rubber Mulch can be installed over your previous wood mulch, but make sure the wood mulch has had time to decay and become compacted.

Is Majestic Rubber Mulch flammable?

Majestic Rubber Mulch is not flammable.

Tire chips were tested in 1995 in accordance with the Federal Hazardous Substance Act (16 CFR 1500.44) to determine whether this material would be considered "flammable." (A material is considered flammable if it ignites and burns with a self-sustained flame at a rate greater than 0.1 inches per second along its major axis.) Per these test results, scrap tire material is considered nonflammable.

What if a child swallows a rubber nugget?

In 1994 the Maryland Environmental Services (MES) put this question to a series of tests. At the MES request, a testing laboratory subjected ¾-inch pieces of tire chips to hydrochloric acid (stomach acid). "Visual examination of insoluble residue appeared to indicate only fibrous reinforcing strands were dissolved by the hydrochloric acid. The tire rubber did not appear to be affected in any way; i.e., chalking, cracking, fracturing, etc." (PSI Report No. 486-40013-001)

What does this mean?

If a piece of rubber is swallowed, it should not cause any acute or chronic problems. Short-term issues, such as an upset stomach, will be a function of the amount of rubber swallowed. As to the fate of the rubber chips swallowed, they are eventually evacuated from the body, just like any other indigestible material.

Has Majestic Rubber Mulch been certified by any outside agencies?

Majestic Playground Mulch meets all of the criteria established by the International Playground Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA) and complies with ASTM F1292-04, Standard Specification for Impact Attenuation Under and Around Playground Equipment, and ASTM F1951, Standard Specification for Determination of Accessibility of Surface Systems Under and Around Playground Equipment. Majestic Premium Playground Mulch is also ADA compliant.

In the interest of playground safety, IPEMA provides a Third Party Certification Service whereby a designated independent laboratory, Detroit Testing Laboratory, Inc., validates a surfacing manufacturer’s certification of conformance to ASTM F1292, Standard Specification for Impact Attenuation Under and Around Playground Equipment. Regardless whether you settle on our product or not, you should not accept any product that does not bear this certification. Check the IPEMA website to confirm product validation, as well as tested critical height.
The use of the IPEMA Certification Seal signifies that Majestic Rubber Mulch has received written validation from the independent laboratory that the product associated with the use of the seal conforms to the requirements of ASTM F1292-04.

Have there been any studies about the toxicity of rubber mulch?

We are aware of five studies:

A study by the University of Maine's Department of Civil Engineering on water quality of tire leachate below the ground water table showed that, if the groundwater is near neutral (not too acidic or alkaline), tire shreds have only a small impact on groundwater quality.
Five-Year Study Of The Water Quality Effects Of Tire Shreds Placed Above The Water Table
Comparative Study of the Toxicity of Chipped Tires and Wood Chips Leachate
The Chelsea Center's Technical Report on Environmental Impacts of Rubber In Light Fill Applications. This study concludes that recycled rubber derived from scrap tires is a safe, recyclable material.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (DOT), Using Shredded Tires as Lightweight Fill Material for Road Subgrades

What does the EPA have to say about rubber mulch?

Does the use of rubber mulch reduce the need for herbicides?

We were happy to learn that it does in this article from Landscape Online.

Is play important?

IPEMA recently began an initiative to promote the benefits of children’s play and playgrounds and to provide information and resources to help us all improve the quality and quantity of children’s play and playgrounds. A website, www.voiceofplay.com, is sponsored by the International Play Equipment Manufacturers (IPEMA) and is for parents, kids, community groups, school principals, boards, teachers and administrators; parks and recreation professionals; playground designers, and equipment manufacturers--along with everyone who cares about kids and play! Some highlights of this site include information about physical, social, emotional, and cognitive benefits of play; playground certification and standards; a resource kit for parents; and an area to pose questions to our play experts.

Has any research been done using rubber mulch on athletic fields?

Yes, at Michigan State.

Has any research been done using rubber mulch on golf courses?

Yes, these are the results of a Canadian study and research at Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. The University of Florida has also started doing research on using rubber mulch on athletic fields and golf courses.
This article on Recycled rubber as a drainage layer medium under greens may also be of interest.

Environmentally, what is the best management strategy for scrap rubber tires?

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has looked at this question carefully.