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We could easily write a list of the possibilities and then the pros and cons of each. In the end it often amounts to what resources a facility has for maintaining or replacing the material as needed. Do you have the staff hours to vacuum or sweep every day or even every several hours? Do you have the budget to replace the material as it degrades or disappears?
I would also think hard about what is adjacent and how the material might impact the area around it. For instance sand is maybe the safest but it wanders further than other materials and can be damaging to floors and mechanisms. Kids love to fill containers and carry stuff away. What happens when a hat full of corn cobs is dumped into water play and sucked into the filters?
In the past I have suggested rubber granules but now with more knowledge about the off-gassing of that stuff I don't believe it is a good choice for an indoor space.
Erich Rose
Erich Rose Design
807 The Living End
Austin, TX 78746
512-626-9930; [log in to unmask]
http://www.flickr.com/photos/erichrose/
On Jun 29, 2012, at 7:36 AM, Beryl Rosenthal wrote:
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
>
> The problem with corn product (or rice, for that matter) is vermin. It's easier to clean up non-organic materials. Sand always works.
> Beryl
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Jun 29, 2012, at 8:29 AM, Dan MacDonald <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
>> *****************************************************************************
>>
>> Hi Kim,
>> We ran into this situation for many years in Boston. We started with
>> walnut shells until visitors commented about allergies. Signs only seem to
>> heighten the problem. We then switched to apricot pits, but we couldn't be
>> guaranteed that they were apricots and not walnuts. We then switched to an
>> artificial mulch, but that left a black rubber mess everywhere. We finally
>> switched to ground up corn cobs that are non-allergenic and that solved a
>> lot of problems. This product is available through sand blasting companies
>> as well as certain pet supply companies. Good Luck.
>>
>> Dan MacDonald
>>
>>
>>
>> On 6/28/12 2:19 PM, "Kim Hunter" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>>> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>>> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
>>> institutions.
>>> **************************************************************************
>>> ***
>>>
>>> As many museums and science centers have done, we have been using walnut
>>> shells in our fossil dig pits. However, it has come to our attention
>>> that there could be issues regarding walnut shell allergies. Has anyone
>>> encountered any issues using walnut shells? If so, did you discontinue
>>> using them - what did you replace with? Or did you continue to use
>>> them and posted signs warning of possible reactions?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --Kim
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Kim Hunter
>>>
>>> Senior Director, Exhibit Development
>>>
>>> Orlando Science Center
>>>
>>> 407/514-2061
>>>
>>> [log in to unmask]
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Inspire Science Learning for Life
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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> For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.
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> Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org.
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