Why is it upsetting? Lots of playgrounds around here, especially at schools, have moved entirely to shredded rubber instead of wood mulch, almost entirely due to safety concerns.
I don't see the concern over safety, given all the rough housing I did as a kid at just such a playground, but if it brings peace of mind, I don't see why it would be upsetting to anyone.
> Lots of playgrounds around here, especially at schools, have moved entirely to shredded rubber instead of wood mulch, almost entirely due to safety concerns.
That's pretty ironic considering reports that it's less safe (toxic).
I once visited a shredded rubber playground at 10,000' on a midsummer day. The sun was intense, and as a result the offgassing from the tire chips was so dramatic you could literally see a layer of gasses hanging over the mulch. (They were colorless, but your eye could pick up on the disturbance & shifts in the light) It reeked.
I think it's more likely you were seeing refraction caused by the change in density of the layer of hot air: "heat haze". Any dark colored material would have the same air-heating effect.
It would be interesting if they could actually recycle car tires, I believe what currently happens is burning or shredding into mulch.