Can Shoes Become Shingles?

Abstract

What do you do with your shoes once you decide you no longer want them? An estimated 20 billion shoes are produced every year and 300 million of them end up in a landfill. (The Shoe Industry, n.d.) The environmental impact from shoe waste is astronomically harmful, such as the pollution from runoff and chemicals released in decomposition. Shingles are one of the most common building materials, but they do not have a long life expectancy, so these materials will end their lifespan in a landfill. Shoe soles and tires are both made of rubber compounds, making them similar in the formation and degradation processes. There has been promising research regarding tire conversion into housing materials, suggesting a potential link could exist between shoe soles and shingles. This research aims to determine the feasibility of turning shoe waste into shingles.