Campaign tells walkers ‘these boots were made for recycling’

Walkers are being urged to collect up old pairs of boots for the UK’s first Walking Boot Amnesty.

Branches of GO Outdoors will collect the boots until the end of April, which will be recycled and distributed to Oxfam stores.

Staff at the outdoor clothing and supplies retailer say because walking boots are built to last, they are made of materials that are not normally biodegradable.

Many pairs end up in landfill and those which are incinerated can release harmful dioxins into the atmosphere.

Andy Lanigan, general manager of GO Outdoors in Coatbridge, Scotland, told edie that the campaign was launched after staff realised they were hoarding pairs of old boots they had not worn in years, and speculated that their customers may have the same problem.

He said: “Our customers are passionate about the outdoors – and very switched on when it comes to matters of the environment. So they were the inspiration.

“Like all retailers we’re take our environmental responsibilities very seriously, and if we can reflect those responsibilities in a fun initiative like the boot amnesty then we’re happy to do so.”

He said customers had already been rushing to respond to the appeal, and if the amnesty goes well, the company may look at other items in the future too.

He added: “This is the first time we’ve run anything like this and we just hope as many people as possible can support us.”

Boots can be taken to branches of GO Outdoors in Coatbridge, Coventry, Stockport, Wigan, Sheffield, Oxford, Loughborough and Wakefield.

Kate Martin