Edwin Tong on ‘learning points’ from shoe recycling programme by Sport Singapore

The Shoe Recycling Program is a joint initiative launched in 2021 by Dow and Sport Singapore (SportSG). Other partners such as BT Sports and Alba-WH play different roles in the process chain. Dow’s role is to manage the integration of each role and promote the use of safe and sustainable materials. Sport Singapore encourages the use of these materials to install sports infrastructure and set up shoe collection points at its ActiveSG sports centers. Alba-WH is the nominated collection partner responsible for collecting shoes and supplying them to BT Sports who manages the facility to grind the recycled shoes into granules for use as construction material. This is Singapore’s first grinding plant to turn recycled shoes into pellets for use as building materials. It was set up by BT Sports with support from a government grant. SportSG only pays for the recycled granules it receives and uses for installation in public sports facilities. In January 2023, project partners were informed that shoes thrown into recycling bins and destined for the shoe recycling program were diverted for resale. An investigation was immediately initiated by the project partners. Alba-WH, as the person responsible for collecting the recycling bins for shoes, commissioned Yok Impex to do this for selected parts of Singapore. These containers were taken to the Yok Impex premises and sorted there before being sent to Alba-WH’s warehouse for registering and weighing. They were then delivered to the grinding shop. The investigation revealed that the shoe recycling bins at Yok Impex’s premises were not properly segregated from other sorting activities, resulting in some shoes destined for recycling being exported to other countries for resale. Alba-WH has discontinued the services of Yok Impex. The project partners have taken measures to streamline the process chain. This includes hiring only contractors and subcontractors not involved in the second-hand textile or footwear trade and transporting all collected footwear to Alba-WH’s premises without merging or sorting at intermediaries. Culture, Community and Youth Minister Edwin Tong gave this update on Monday (March 20) to answer questions from MPs in Parliament. He said the Department of Culture, Community and Youth will share these “learning points” with other recycling projects. He hopes this episode will not discourage the public from supporting such initiatives as they are important and effective in protecting the environment.