APM Terminals Apapa takes next step towards 100% tyre recycling

APM Terminals Apapa, Nigeria, has teamed up with FREEE Recycle Limited to produce eco-friendly flip-flops. Made from 70% recycled materials, including discarded tyres sourced from truck and crane equipment at terminal. These flip-flops represent a significant step towards sustainability, with each pair saving approximately 7.5kg of CO2 emissions.

Following a successful pilot at the terminal, using exterior paving blocks produced out of recycled and compressed used tyres, the company signed a five-year MoU with, Freee Recycle Limited in 2022. Both parties committed to work together towards recycling of tyres to ensure that all tyres generated within the terminal are recycled into reusable products and re-used. 
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, which had theme ‘Nothing Goes to Waste’, 2,000 pairs of these innovative flip-flops were distributed to employees to promote recycling and environmental awareness – and at the same time repurposed around 58 used tires. Used tyres typical 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 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 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 doing 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.”