Bring any old, used sneakers to the Takoma Park Fire Department on Carroll Avenue or the Takoma Park Police Department on Maple Avenue.
The goal is to keep the worn-out shoes out of landfills or incinerators while raising money for the fire department.
Sneakers are manufactured with materials that often are not biodegradable and therefore just sit in a landfill. If they are incinerated, toxic chemicals are released into the air, according to a release from the police department.
“Recycling and reusing sneakers keeps them out of landfills, reduces the need for manufacturing new shoes and sneakers, and supports a growing circular economy,” according to police.
Proceeds collected from the recycling go to the fire department.
