Go Run & Recycle Program Continues at Door County Half Marathon

The Door County Half Marathon and Nicolet Bay 5K has partnered with Going Garbage & Recycling to collect old running shoes in the Go Run and Recycle program. Over 1,500 pounds of shoes have been donated for recycling through the program in the first three years of the event.

Bring your worn out running shoes to be recycled into sorbent material used to clean up oil spills. The shoes will go to a recycling company in Minnesota, where they will be either redistributed for re-use or ground up and turned into a sorbent material for spill cleanup kits. The combination of the leather, rubber, and cotton found in the shoes does an excellent job of absorbing liquids, and the kits are sold worldwide.

A recycling container will be located at Packet Pickup on Friday and in the Runner’s Concourse on race day.

This year runners, walkers and others in the Door County community needing to part with their worn running shoes are encouraged to visit one of five drop-off locations before, the day of, or after the Door County Half Marathon.

The drop-off locations and the dates are as follows:

• Going Garbage & Recycling, 10564 Old Stage Road, Sister Bay (April 25 – May 20)

• Gibraltar High School, 3924 Highway 42, Fish Creek (May 2 – 13)

• Door County Half Marathon Packet Pickup, Ephraim Village Hall, 9996 Water Street, Ephraim (Friday, May 6, 1 – 9 pm)

• Door County Half Marathon Race Day, Nicolet Bay Beach Area in Peninsula State Park (May 7)

• Northern Door YMCA, 3866 Gibraltar Road, Fish Creek (May 2 – 13)

People with gently used shoes are encouraged to donate them to local charitable organizations, such as Bargains Unlimited in Sister Bay.