What happens if you put Shoes and trainers in the wrong bin?

Never donate odd shoes loose; unpaired shoes are waste. Never put shoes in the kerbside recycling bin.

Where do Shoes and trainers go?

Pair them, tie them together, and put them in a shoe or textile bank. Never in the bin.

Donate or reuse

Shoes are reused far more than they are recycled: wearable pairs are sold or distributed, and worn ones are stripped for rubber and textile. The single thing that decides whether a pair is usable is whether it arrives as a pair — banks are full of single shoes that are worth nothing. Tie the laces together or band them. Some manufacturers run take-back schemes that grind trainers into playground and track surfacing. A few councils collect shoes in a kerbside textile sack, so check your local scheme before making a trip.

How to prepare it

Tie or band each pair together before it goes in the bag.
Knock the mud off and let them dry.
Check for a manufacturer take-back scheme for worn-out trainers.

What not to do

Never donate odd shoes loose; unpaired shoes are waste.
Never put shoes in the kerbside recycling bin.

Kerbside collection rules genuinely vary by council and county, and local rules always win over general guidance. The reasoning above is what transfers — if your service differs, it will usually be for a reason described here.

Other things that go to donate or reuse

Clothes and textiles Wearable: charity shop or clothing bank. Worn out: still the textile bank — damaged clothes are sorted for fibre and rag, not landfill.
Furniture (sofas, wardrobes, tables) Reuse first — charities collect free. Otherwise a bulky collection or the household waste centre.
Duvets and pillows Not the textile bank. Animal shelters take clean ones; otherwise household waste centre or general waste.
Books Charity shop, book bank or a street library. Paperbacks are recyclable as paper; hardbacks need the boards removing.
CDs, DVDs and cases Not kerbside recyclable. Donate playable discs; the polycarbonate needs a specialist and the cases are usually accepted separately.
Spectacles Opticians and charity collection boxes. Frames are reused, not shredded.
Wine corks Natural cork composts and there are collection schemes for it. Plastic "corks" go in general waste.

Common questions

Where do Shoes and trainers go?: Pair them, tie them together, and put them in a shoe or textile bank. Never in the bin.
What happens if you put Shoes and trainers in the wrong bin?: Never donate odd shoes loose; unpaired shoes are waste. Never put shoes in the kerbside recycling bin.

Where do Clothes and textiles go? Wearable: charity shop or clothing bank. Worn out: still the textile bank — damaged clothes are sorted for fibre and rag, not landfill.
Where do Furniture (sofas, wardrobes, tables) go? Reuse first — charities collect free. Otherwise a bulky collection or the household waste centre.
Where do Duvets and pillows go? Not the textile bank. Animal shelters take clean ones; otherwise household waste centre or general waste.
Where do Books go? Charity shop, book bank or a street library. Paperbacks are recyclable as paper; hardbacks need the boards removing.
Where do CDs, DVDs and cases go? Not kerbside recyclable. Donate playable discs; the polycarbonate needs a specialist and the cases are usually accepted separately.
Where do Spectacles go? Opticians and charity collection boxes. Frames are reused, not shredded.
Where do Household batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V) go? Shop or manufacturer take-back
Where do Lithium-ion batteries go? Shop or manufacturer take-back
Where do Vapes and disposable e-cigarettes go? Shop or manufacturer take-back
Where do Medicines and tablets go? Pharmacy
Where do Pizza boxes go? Kerbside recycling bin
Where do Leftover wet paint go? Household waste recycling centre

Sources

US Environmental Protection Agency — EPA (Public domain (US Government))

How these figures are compiled and checked