From left: Lono Tyson, Director of Environmental Management, Rebekah Sluss, Environmental Management, Darryl Oliveira, Fire Chief, Rob Wall, Fire Department, Linda Peters, Environmental Management, Ivan Torigoe, Deputy Director, Environmental Management, help load a container with shoes.During April, as part of Earth Day celebrations, the Hawai‘i Fire Department and Department of Environmental Management collected 4,000 pairs of old athletic shoes for recycling by the Nike Reuse-A-Shoe Program.

Hawai‘i County participated for the first time in this annual collection event. Statewide, more than 20,000 shoes that would have gone to landfills will instead be recycled and used as play court material and other products. Shoes will be shipped to Nike’s recycling facilities in Oregon.

This collection was made possible by Nike and through generous donations by Matson Navigation and Conen’s Freight Transport. The County of Hawai‘i would also like to thank the Public for their participation and kōkua in this first of many annual collections.

Nike launched its Reuse-A-Shoe program in 1990. Since then, the company has recycled more than 22.5 million pairs of old athletic shoes worldwide.

Athletic shoes will be collected again next April, so hele mai save your old shoes!

For more information on Hawai‘i County’s participation in the Nike Reuse a Shoe Program, contact Rebekah Sluss at rsluss@co.hawaii.hi.us or 961-8527. Visit www.hawaiizerowaste.org to learn about other County solid waste and recycling programs.