As cities push harder to cut emissions, especially from vehicles, Synthelast, based in Elche, has developed a pavement expressly designed for children’s playgrounds. This surface is crafted from recycled tires and carries photocatalytic properties that can reduce pollution in outdoor spaces. The technology has been tested and endorsed, drawing the interest of numerous municipalities.
With a history dating back to 1973, Synthelast marks five decades of experience in materials innovation. The company’s roots lie in the footwear industry, a sector where Elche already holds influence. According to the managing director, Francisco Rodríguez, the firm began by producing materials for sole manufacturing, introducing components such as polyurethane, which had been relatively unfamiliar to regional shoe-makers at the time. Over the years, PVC and rubberjoined the mix, all aimed at improving sole performance.
Recognizing parallels between footwear materials and other applications, the company expanded into construction a decade ago, guided by sustainability principles. Rodríguez notes, “Our production uses recycled materials from our own operations or our customers’ stock, notably discarded shoe soles, or substitutes that are oil-free and often based on used oils with plasticizing properties.”
The opportunity to develop rubber flooring for playgrounds emerged from this shift. A collaboration with Recycling of Tires and Rubber Responsible for crushing the tires—RNC—enabled Synthelast to compress and color the recycled rubber for pavement use.
Elche’s firm then pushed beyond conventional methods by adapting techniques already common in construction to achieve a decontaminating effect on the soil. The project has the backing of the Center for Industrial Technological Development (CDTI) and has undergone more than three years of research. The director explains that a photocatalytic agent, specially designed in Synthelast’s lab and named Idsum, is incorporated into the rubber coating. When exposed to sunlight, Idsum helps break down pollutant molecules; it remains effective under street lighting as well, though to a lesser extent.
Rodríguez notes that field tests confirmed the benefits first in the Euphore laboratory and then in a playground in Murcia. The pavement demonstrated a reduction in nitrous oxide pollution by about 16% and showed potential to counteract viruses and bacteria. “These results are very encouraging, especially in areas with heavy foot traffic, where urban spaces are increasingly restricted to reduce emissions,” he explains.
The initiative earned Synthelast and RNC the prestigious Silver Broom 2022 award from the Waste and Environmental Management Technical Association (Ategrus). The surface has also been installed in several Canary Islands municipalities, attracting other towns that see it as a child-friendly solution aligned with environmental protection policies.
The company projects continued growth, aiming to increase last year’s turnover of 5.7 million euros by about 30 percent this year, buoyed by demand for sustainable, pollution-reducing flooring solutions in North America as well as Europe.