2008 Chicagoland Shoe Recycling Program to be Held May 7 and 8
March 11, 2008
If you’re a Chicago-area runner looking for a place to donate used running shoes, make tracks to the Shoe Recycling Program of the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County on Wednesday, May 7, and Thursday, May 8. The eighth annual shoe recycling program will be held from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Glenview transfer station.
Approximately 60 collection partners will participate in the 2008 Shoe Recycling Program, including schools, community organizations, businesses and numerous SWANCC municipalities.
If your business, organization or school would like to participate as a collection partner in the 2008 Shoe Recycling Program, please contact Mary Allen at mary@swancc.org or 847.724.9205, extension 204. Donated used running shoe collection details, clear plastic bags, promotional materials and an agreement will be mailed to your site coordinator. The agreement must be signed and returned.
The Shoe Recycling Program of the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County has been orchestrating a shoe recycling program for donated used running shoes since 1999.
Donated running shoes collected by the Shoe Recycling Program over the course of two days are shipped to a Nike facility in conjunction with the Nike Reuse A Shoe recycling program. Nike then transforms the donated used running shoes into a material called Nike Grind. Nike Grind from donated running shoes is then used to create running tracks, playground surfaces, athletic fields and indoor courts that children from all walks of life can enjoy throughout many communities for years to come.
Random drawings will take place at the Shoe Recycling Program event; winners will receive a plastic chair shaped like a hand. All schools registered for the Shoe Recycling Program are eligible to win.
It’s important to note these guidelines to donate used running shoes to the Shoe Recycling Program:
- Shoes with metal components of any kind cannot be accepted at the Shoe Recycling Program; this includes cleats, spikes, eyelets, zippers or batteries
- No other types of shoes can be accepted at the Shoe Recycling Program; this includes flip flops, sandals, boots, dress shoes, high heels, pumps, clogs, mules, slip-ons or house slippers
- Please do not tie donated used running shoe laces together, or bind donated used running shoes together with rubber bands, plastic straps or string
For more information regarding the Shoe Recycling Program, contact the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County, 1616 East Golf Road, Des Plaines, IL 60016; 847.296.9205; e-mail mary@swancc.org or visit the web site address at www.swancc.org/education/athleticshoerecycling.html.
A few other Chicagoland area sites accept a limited number of donated used running shoes in conjunction with Nike’s Reuse A Shoe program. You can also mail your donated used running shoes directly to Nike. See www.nikereuseashoe.com for more details.
