Flipping tyres in the port

Recycling tyres into flip-flops

NIGERIA: A Nigerian port terminal is taking positive steps towards developing a circular economy by teaming up with a recycling company to upcycle discarded tyres from trucks and cranes into fashionable flip-flops.

Following a successful pilot at the terminal, using exterior paving blocks produced out of recycled and compressed used tyres, the APM Terminals Apapa signed a five-year MoU with, Freee Recycle Limited in 2022.

Now FREEE Recycle is producing flip-flops from the discarded resource. According to their studies, each pair saves approximately 7.5kg of CO₂ emissions.

The two companies have committed to work together and aim to recycle all used tyres from the terminal in reusable products.

The flip-flops were launched during Go Green, a global APM Terminals Awareness campaign which aims to raise awareness of sustainable business practices and how to minimise the impact of operations on the environment.

During Go Green last month, which had theme ‘Nothing Goes to Waste’, 2,000 pairs of the fashionable flip-flops were distributed to employees to promote recycling and environmental awareness.

Used tyres typically end in landfills and, by trapping water, they can act as a breeding ground for insects that can spread infectious diseases.

During Go Green last year, the Army Children Primary School, became the first of ten schools to have their playgrounds paved with the recycled blocks, which are safe for children to play on.

Reducing waste

Terminal Manager, Steen Knudsen said, “We are always on the lookout for ways we can sustainably repurpose our waste into other useful materials. We are in partnership with various environmental organisations licensed by the government. Over the years, we have taken calculated steps to not only reduce our plastic footprint on the environment but also reduce other forms of waste such discarded boilersuits and lubricants.”

HSE Manager, APM Terminals Apapa, Felix Chinwe Ugwuagbo, said it was important for the terminal to take its employees along on this journey, taking the message of sustainability and waste recycling to their homes and communities.

He said, “There are so many things the terminal is already going to reduce waste. However, we want to encourage our employees to not only come up with ideas on what we can do to reduce waste, but to also think of what they can do as individuals to reduce waste.”