Happy with your newly bought shoes? Why did you purchase it? Because of its brand, design, aesthetic, or comfort? Regardless, it is imperative to know that whatever you are wearing right now, is likely manufactured with harmful chemicals that are released into the environment. This is especially so with sneakers – the go-to fashion piece for all university students.
Different chemicals are involved in the production of different parts of a sneaker. For instance, dyes on logos are made with heavy metals whereas spongy insole is made with polyurethane (Schwab, n.d.). However, they share a commonality – that is, the harmful chemicals involved.
These toxic chemicals, more than just creating health problems for production workers, also pose as an environmental hazard. Used sneakers are often disposed of in harmful ways, such as incineration or dumping them in landfills (Hesperian Health Guides, 2020). Such disposal methods expose the environment to these toxic chemicals embedded in the sneakers!
At landfills, as the sneakers decompose – which takes 30 to 40 years (AIO, 2019), harmful chemicals are emitted. For example, as the soles degrade, chemicals present in the rubber or plastic are slowly released into the environment. Similarly, when incinerated, chemicals are emitted into the atmosphere. The emission of harmful chemicals contributes to air pollution!
The whole pollution thang is pretty complicated given the variety of materials and chemicals involved. BUT, a key takeaway? Many unfavourable chemicals are utilised in the production of shoes and hence, we NEED to observe proper disposal of these ‘chemical-carrying walking aid’.
Nike Grind post-consumer rubber material
Rather than dumping your unwanted shoes in the nearest garbage can, have your used shoes recycled! Some shoe companies have programmes to reuse and recycle old shoes. For instance, Nike. Under its Reuse-A-Shoe program, it recycles athletic sneakers (of any brand) at the end of their life and giving them a new life through Nike Grind. Some of the products that are made with Nike Grind includes football fields, playgrounds, furniture such as carpet padding and gym floor tiles, as well as new Nike apparel and footwear.
References:
AIO. (2019, November 13). Sustainable fashion & sneakers: Here’s why you should approve! https://www.aiobot.com/sustainable-fashion-sneakers/
Hesperian Health Guides. (2020, March 7). Pollution from shoe factories. https://en.hesperian.org/hhg/Workers%27_Guide_to_Health_and_Safety:Pollution_from_shoe_factories
Schwab, C., Bowman, M., Stringham, S. & Fagan, J. M. (n.d.) Sneakers Running our Environment into the Ground. https://rucore.libraries.rutgers.edu/rutgers-lib/38349/PDF/1