A vast collection of over 400,000 donated shoes in Singapore’s Tuas area highlights the challenges of repurposing initiatives aimed at reducing environmental impact.
In Singapore’s Tuas area, a large warehouse is home to an extensive collection of more than 400,000 pairs of donated shoes, ranging from sneakers to sandals. These shoes were gathered as part of a recycling programme aimed at repurposing them into materials for various projects, including jogging tracks and playgrounds. However, the initiative is encountering significant challenges in finding suitable projects to utilize the collected footwear.
The shoe recycling program, launched nearly four years ago, is a collaboration between Sport Singapore (SportSG) and the materials science company Dow. Initially, the program was ambitious in its goal, intending to recycle 170,000 pairs of sports shoes each year. While over 400,000 pairs have been collected thus far, only about 70,000 have been successfully repurposed into 18 different projects, which include a jogging track situated atop a condominium. This disparity highlights a critical gap between the collection of shoes and their eventual repurposing.
Paul Fong, country director of Dow Singapore and Malaysia, explained the program’s primary objective is to reduce environmental impact by recycling the shoes rather than allowing them to end up in landfills or being incinerated. He stated, “We want to reduce the impact on Semakau Island by utilising the shoes instead of discarding them.” Despite these intentions, the partners in the initiative are struggling to match the large quantity of collected shoes with projects that require them.
Cost has emerged as a major obstacle in repurposing the shoes. Hayden Hoon, director of B T Sports, noted that recycling shoes is more expensive than using traditional building materials. The complexity of repurposing shoes is due to the variety of materials they contain, which complicates the process compared to using car tires—an established alternative known for their durability and uniformity. Associate Professor Duong Hai Minh from the National University of Singapore commented on this complexity, saying, “Tyres are made of a single solid material, but shoes are composed of various materials, making it difficult to control quality.”
The challenge of maintaining consistent quality in recycled shoes makes the process not only more expensive but also complicated. Hoon emphasized that the financial implications of sustainability are essential considerations for any initiatives aimed at mitigating environmental effects.
Experts believe that a more effective approach to future initiatives will require a better balance of supply and demand. Professor Lawrence Loh from the NUS Business School stressed the importance of proper management, including accurate forecasts for shoe collections and ensuring feasible uses for those shoes. “Don’t over-collect, and even if you do, ensure that the shoes will be applied to the intended purposes,” he advised.
Despite the logistical and economic challenges faced by the shoe recycling programme, there remains potential for significant environmental impact. As the initiative seeks to attract additional partnerships, there is hope that the surplus of shoes will eventually be utilized in community projects that positively affect both the environment and the populace.
Source: Noah Wire Services
