Apple Valley, Dakota Valley Recycling team up to keep shoes out of landfills
APPLE VALLEY, Minn. -- It's National Recycling Day, a time to celebrate simple ways to protect the planet.
Apple Valley is joining and sharing ways you can put your best foot forward.
For several years, Apple Valley has partnered with Dakota Valley Recycling to collect unwanted shoes to either be recycled or reused and keep them out of landfills.
This year, the recycling center is working USAgain, a national collection company operating across nine states. They say for every bin filled, one tree is planted.
Apple Valley Parks and Recreation Director Eric Carlson said it's a win-win for residents.
"It really is a good thing because instead of throwing them away and them going to a landfill, you know those shoes are being used by someone that needs them," Carlson said.
Drop-off bins are in the parking lot of the Hayes Park campus. Bins are open for shoe drop off 24 hours a day through Nov. 20.
During this week, about 12,000 lbs of shoes were collected across four Minnesota cities.
Other shoe drop off sites include Burnsville Civic Center Amphitheater, Eagan Civic Center and Lakeville Fire Station 1.