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Shoes
Accepted at 3 locations
Footwear is a textile product made from materials like rubber, leather, fabric, and plastics that becomes part of the municipal solid waste stream when discarded.
Source: epa.gov : Textiles: Material-Specific Data | US EPA (1)
Shoes Summary
Parent material: Textiles
Accepted Locations

Last updated on June 22, 2026 by Green Star GM

Last updated on June 15, 2026 by Green Star GM
Clean shoes by removing dirt or debris before drop-off
Tie laces together or use rubber band to keep pairs together
Don't separate pairs during drop-off
Last updated on June 20, 2026 by Green Star GM
About Shoes
What it is
Shoes are a source of textiles in municipal solid waste, alongside clothing and other nondurable goods. EPA estimates that the generation of clothing and footwear was 13 million tons in 2018, with textiles, rubber and leather as the major material components, along with some plastics. The recycling rate for textiles in clothing and footwear was 13 percent, meaning most end up in landfills.(1, 2)
How it’s recycled
Specialized recycling programs process used shoes to recover materials like rubber and fabric, which can be repurposed. Rubber soles are used in playground surfaces, running tracks, or new sneakers; textiles and fabric linings are turned into carpet padding or insulation; leather is upcycled into belts, accessories, or industrial products; and metal parts like eyelets, shanks, and buckles are recovered and remanufactured.(5, 6)
How to prepare it
Common mistakes
Environmental impact
Textile waste including footwear causes harmful effects to the environment, including the release of greenhouse gases and the leaching of contaminants into soil and water as textile waste decomposes in landfills. EPA estimated that the amount of clothing and footwear recycled in 2018 was 1.7 million tons, representing a 13.0 percent recycling rate.(1, 3)
Sources & additional reading
- Textiles: Material-Specific Data | US EPA epa.gov
- Nondurable Goods: Product-Specific Data | US EPA epa.gov
- GAO-25-107165, TEXTILE WASTE: Federal Entities Should Collaborate on Reduction and Recycling Efforts files.gao.gov
- Textile Reuse And Recycling - NYSDEC dec.ny.gov
- Old Shoes: Where To Recycle And What Bin To Dispose Them In - A Complete Guide [Updated:May 2026] decentfoot.com
- Shoe Recycling Made Easy: What to Do with Old or Unusable Shoes greencitizen.com
- Facts behind the textile recycling & manufacturing industries. ecosmithrecyclers.com
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