A widely used material in Dénia
Colored rubber flooring has become the standard solution in children's play areas in Dénia, and is now at the center of a scientific debate about its possible toxicity, according to La Marina Plaza.
The municipality has used it in various renovations. In 2021 it chose it to renovate one of the parks in plaza Jaume I, considering that the old tiles had lost their protective function. The toboggan park in Chabàs, which opened in November 2023, has its entire surface covered with rubber, as does the park at the health center, renovated in 2024. There is also rubber, among others, in the parks on calle La Via, plaza del Arxiduc Carles, at the intersection of paseo del Saladar with Pintor Llorens and at the end of the Cervantes esplanade.
What the studies say
The concern is supported by research from the Institute of Environmental Diagnosis and Water Studies (IDAEA), part of the CSIC.
A study published in 2023 in Science of the Total Environment analyzed rubber from used tires and synthetic EPDM rubber used on recreational surfaces. The researchers found metals and organophosphorus compounds, which are used as plasticizers and flame retardants, and called for buyers to have detailed chemical information about these materials.
Another study, published in 2024 in Journal of Hazardous Materials, exposed different types of granulated rubber to summer conditions for two months. It detected micro and nanoplastics and dozens of additives in the fraction that can be inhaled, and observed toxic effects on aquatic organisms when simulating runoff, although at concentrations much higher than those expected in the environment.
What they don't say
These results justify continued research, but do not demonstrate that playing on a playground with rubber flooring causes diseases in children. They also do not describe the specific composition of the pavements installed in Dénia, which may vary from one installation to another.
What will happen in 2031
Around this debate circulates the idea that the European Union will ban these floors in 2031. This is not exactly the case. Regulation (EU) 2023/2055, on intentionally added microplastics, prohibits from October 17, 2031 the marketing of loose granular filling used in artificial grass sports fields. It does not require the removal of playground pavements.
The difference is important. The rule excludes particles that are permanently fixed in a solid matrix, as is the case with agglomerated rubber floors in parks. In a 2024 parliamentary response, the Government already distinguished between the two materials, although it recommended, as a precaution, studying the wear of children's pavements.
Outstanding questions
For Dénia, the debate raises specific questions: what materials each pavement is made of, what condition it is in and what chemical and maintenance information is in the municipal files. Answering them requires reviewing each installation separately.
