https://theshoeindustry.weebly.com/environmental-impact.html
Shoe manufacturing and shoes in general poses many threats to the wellbeing of our planet as many toxins, chemicals and fossil fuels are produced and leaked into the environment during the first and last steps in the shoe life cycle. These chemicals are harming both the wildlife and humans that come in contact with them, which, in turn, causes many health problems. Also, shoe manufacturing produces large amounts of carbon dioxide which contributes to the already serious effects of climate change and global warming.
The last step in the shoe life cycle, which is disposal, also contributes greatly to the environmental impacts of the shoe industry. According to statistics, 38% of students in Fletcher’s Meadow secondary school throw out their old shoes and 42% donate them. For the 38% who throw out their shoes, these shoes end up in landfills and can eventually end up contaminating the soil and even drinking water, much like many other materials that are thrown out, as the chemicals used in the manufacturing slowly start to leak into soil as the shoe slowly starts decomposing. This has a huge effect on both wildlife and humans. This is because biomagnification and bioaccumulation can occur as wildlife that humans consume may have drunk the contaminated water or consumed contaminated plants. This can lead to many health defects including cancer. Ultimately, the disposal of shoes has a large impact on the environment much like the manufacturing as harmful chemicals start to leak into and contaminate the soil and water.
Analysis: This article outlines the harmful effects of making and discarding a shoe. It also shows how much a discarded shoe could affect our environment once it is in a landfill.
