CITY OF MILWAUKEE AND NIKE REUSE-A-SHOE PROGRAM

Milwaukee is committed to waste reduction and diversion.

In 1993 Nike developed the Reuse-A-Shoe program to expand its ongoing efforts to increase physical activity among youth and to give back to the communities that have made them successful. Working together with the National Recycling Coalition and over 80 recycling organizations nationwide, the program aims to collect used athletic shoes that will be recycled and used to make brand new athletic surfaces. Each recycling organization is challenged with collecting 5,000 or more pairs of used athletic shoes of any brand. For more information log onto www.letmeplay.com/reuseashoe

The City of Milwaukee has participated in the Nike Reuse-A-Shoe program since the summer of 2004 and collects used athletic shoes at numerous locations throughout the metro area. Once the shoes are collected, they are shipped to Nike and recycled into three separate materials. These materials are used in new sports surfaces such as playgrounds, basketball and tennis courts, and running tracks. The City of Milwaukee has already been utilizing recycled rubber products in its playgrounds and tot lots for years and will continue to use these recycled materials. Recycled shoe material from the Milwaukee area will end up in athletic and play surfaces in communities all throughout the nation.

From August 2004 when Milwaukee started its shoe recycling program through the spring of 2008, over 42,500 pairs of used athletic shoes from Milwaukee area residents have been recycled, saving over 300 cubic yards of landfill space! That's almost 32 tons of shoes. Get your old shoes back in the game and help conserve resources and landfill space. Get old shoes back in the game and help conserve resources and landfill space.