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Board approves replacement of wood chips with black rubber mulch at RCES playground, cost about $37,265
Summary
The board approved replacing decomposed wood playground mulch at the elementary school with compressed black rubber mulch; the district selected a vendor at a low bid of $37,265.18 and chose black over colored mulch to save about $14,300.
The Richland County Community School District 1 board approved replacing the elementary school’s playground wood mulch with compressed black rubber mulch at a low bid of $37,265.18.
District maintenance staff explained the existing wood mulch had decomposed over decades — in places reaching 8 to 18 inches deep with rotten material — and that the wood material created odor and drainage problems when it degraded into the adjacent ditch. Staff said rubber mulch requires only about 4 inches of compressed material because of its impact value, drains better than wood, and will require topping up every three to five years rather than frequent full replacement. The district reported having brought in clay in low spots and said the new equipment and surfacing would be set to proper heights before mulch placement.
The board considered a colored mulch option but chose the natural black rubber to save roughly $14,305 (bid difference of $37,265.18 vs. $51,570). Board members asked whether the black rubber can transfer color to clothing; staff said coated colored rubber is less likely to cause staining but could not guarantee no transfer with black rubber. The board then approved the vendor and the black mulch option in a roll‑call vote.
