In yet another move to reduce solid waste and increase innovative recycling, Israel has joined Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe project.

The Reuse-A-Shoe project was started in the United States in 1990 as a way to recycle old sports shoes.  Instead of allowing these worn-out items to be tossed into landfills, Nike collects the shoes and salvages rubber from the outsole, foam from the midsole, and fabric fibbers from the upper.  They then grind these materials into a mixture called “Nike Grind,” which they use to build sports facilities like basketball courts, running tracks, and children’s playgrounds.

Since 1990, Reuse-A-Shoe has expanded to Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and several countries in Europe (including the United Kingdom, where they have a special partnership with legendary soccer team Manchester United). 

Nike estimates they have recycled over 23.2 million pairs of sports shoes, which amounts to thousands of tons of recycled materials, and built over 300 Nike Grind sports surfaces in communities all over the world.

The Israeli Reuse-A-Shoe collection site will be located in Dizengoff Center in Tel Aviv.  Bring your old shoes, look for the Nike flag, and then just do it!

:: Ynet (Hebrew), Reuse-A-Shoe
Image Credit: d70focus

For more on solid waste recycling projects in the Middle East:
Eco Suit Company Bagir Makes Earth Friendly Deal With Egypt
Qatar and the UK Research On Recycling Plastic Waste
Recycling Bins Take the Form of Art in Tel Aviv