Since 2010, the use of a highly porous, durable and flexible surfacing material has reportedly resulted in the recycling of nearly six million pounds of rubber.

Porous Pave Inc. of Grant, Mich., recently announced that the total amount of its permeable paving material manufactured and installed through December 2014 included about six million pounds of rubber recycled from 200,000 tires. Designed for green stormwater infrastructure, Porous Pave is a highly porous, durable and flexible surfacing material consisting of recycled rubber, aggregate and a binder. The controlled shredding and processing of discarded tires produces the one-quarter-inch nominal size rubber chips incorporated into it.

''Reaching a total of 200,000 tires saved from landfills is an environmental achievement,'' said David Ouwinga, president and chief executive officer. ''It also signifies the rapid adoption of Porous Pave as a permeable paving surface for a variety of applications.''

The paving material was developed to retain stormwater runoff on site, decrease the volume and velocity of rainwater flowing into storm drains and storm sewers, improve water quality by reducing erosion and filtering out pollutants, and recharge groundwater. It is engineered with 29 percent void space and allows up to 6,300 gallons of water per hour per square foot to drain directly through its surface, permeate down into a compacted aggregate base, and then slowly filter into the ground.

Poured in place at thicknesses of one to two inches atop a compacted aggregate base of two, four or six inches, depending on the application and required compressive strength, it is used it in public, commercial and residential installations for loading docks, parking lots, driveways, building entryways and courtyards, walkways and sidewalks, and patios and terraces.

Unlike pervious concrete or permeable pavers, the XL formulation can be installed on slopes up to 30 degrees for golf cart paths, hillside trails, or any steep pathway. The material's porosity, permeability and slip resistance also make it suitable for maintenance and drainage strips, tree surrounds, and non-slip, porous hardscape elements in water features.

A second, softer formulation, XLS, is made from 100 percent recycled rubber chips and a more flexible urethane binding agent. Landscape architects specify it for areas such as playgrounds and pool surrounds, which require a more impact-absorbing surface.