Dive Brief:
- A recycling system that can be used to separate and process shoes, which can be transformed into new products, has been successfully tested by researchers at Loughborough University's Innovative Manufacturing and Construction Research Centre in the UK.
- The system has been in development for the past decade and is now seeking recycling companies interested in the technology.
- The system could help the environment; currently 95% of the 20 billion pairs of shoes made annually end up in landfills.
Dive Insight:
Materials from the recycled footwear can be turned into playground surfaces, running tracks, new soles, insulation for buildings and carpet padding.
"Our ultimate goal is to build on all our EPSRC-funded work and develop follow-up lines of research that stimulate industry interest, and for our future projects to become self-funding," says Professor Rahimifard. "But we believe we've already helped footwear recycling perhaps take the first step towards becoming as economically feasible as glass, plastic or paper recycling."