APM Terminals Apapa, coy sign MoU to recycle used tyres

A container terminal, APM Terminals Apapa, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an indigenous firm, FREEE Recycle Ltd., to recycle used tyres.

The Terminal Manager, APM Terminals Apapa, Mr Steen Knudsen, said this in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos.

Knudsen said APM Terminals Apapa had carried out a successful trial by using pavement blocks produced out of recycled and compressed used tyres for exterior flooring in December 2021.

He said the MoU was in furtherance of the company’s contribution to reducing the harmful effects of industrial wastes on the environment.

“We are reducing environmental footprint in Nigeria, and I am super excited we have FREEE Recycle Limited to partner with.

“We are recycling the tyres into materials that can be used in other parts of the supply chain.

“It is important to partner with companies that have different expertise to complement our efforts to ensure that together, we reduce the environmental footprint in our businesses,” he said.

The Procurement Manager, APM Terminals Apapa, Chinyere Adenaike, said the terminal operator remained committed to sustainability and protection of the environment.

“We are committed to always taking constant care to ensure responsible operational practices that minimise, reduce and prevent negative environmental impact in the community.

“At the leadership level at Apapa, we have committed to a thorough review of our capital investments in equipment to ensure it is in line with our Maersk global ambition of zero Carbon dioxide emission by 2040.

“The commitment is not just on equipment, we are also looking into the lifecycle of our rolling stock, from cradle to grave.

“We are happy to have partners who share our ambition towards environment, and a port authority that firmly supports these initiatives,” Adenaike said.

The Managing Director, FREEE Recycle Ltd., Ifedolapo Runsewe, commended APM Terminals Apapa for taking the lead in reducing solid waste in the country. He noted that the MoU would enhance a collaborative effort in recycling tyres into reusable products.

“This MoU will allow both parties to work together towards recycling of tyres, and we are excited that APM Terminals decided to be in the forefront of this.

“We will be working with them for the next five years to ensure that all tyres generated within the facility are recycled into reusable products and re-used.

“We hope that more organisations will come onboard,” she said.

The Chief Operating Officer of FREEE Recycle, Mr Theopilus Okoyomon, said the dangers tyres posed to the environment were that they led to emissions of Carbon dioxide and created a breathing space for mosquitoes.

“APM Terminals is leading the way, more like a clarion call to all other companies to step forward,” he said.

A representative of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Maryann Okeke, commended the tyre recycling initiative.

“We do get a lot of tyres from Lagos channels. Our commitment to consistent dredging has opened us to solid waste that can be recycled.

“We are having discussions with the Lagos State government and carrying out sensitisation on the removal of solid waste from the habour,” she said.