Determined to reduce the volume of used tyres littering the Lagos metropolis, transport and logistics giant, APM Terminals, have started recycling its discarded tyres into casual footwear.
The Terminal had, in the past, made interlocking stones and paving stones from its used tyres as a way to propagate a global campaign on Go Green.
The campaign had the theme, “Nothing Goes to Waste.”
Terminal Manager, Steen Knudsen, said “We are all about continuous improvement and 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 as discarded boilersuits and lubricants. Recently, we have, in collaboration with one of our environmental partners, begun the production of flip flops (footwear) from discarded tyres.
“Each eco-friendly pair of flip-flops is crafted from 70 percent recycled tyres sourced from our truck and crane equipment used to handle cargo operations at our terminal. With the production of these flip flops, the terminal saves a minimum of 7.5KG of CO2 emissions per pair, helping to reduce waste and combat climate change.”
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.
Head of Environmental Management System (EMS) Consultancy & Services, Kevron Consulting, Dare Ayodele, described waste management as not just good for the environment but also good for business and our communities.