APM Terminals Apapa has partnered with a waste management startup, Garbage In Value Out, to launch a zero-carbon recycling hub in a bid to combat plastic pollution and foster environmental sustainability in Apapa, Lagos.
The terminal operator explained early in the week that the Zero Carbon Recycling Hub, located in Apapa, is designed to make waste recycling easier and more accessible to communities, with the broader goal of fostering long-term sustainable practices.
Speaking at the event, the Terminal Manager of APM Terminals Apapa, Steen Knudsen, emphasised that the initiative was part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility commitment to its host communities.
“In line with our global goal to achieve net zero emissions by 2040, APMT is increasing its investments in environmental sustainability. As a key player in the transportation and logistics industry, we operate heavy equipment and vessels that contribute to carbon emissions, and we recognise our responsibility to reduce that footprint,” Knudsen said.
He highlighted previous sustainability efforts, including the recycling of used tyres into useful items such as floor mats and flip-flops.
According to him, the new partnership with GIVO is aimed at targeting plastic waste, enabling its transformation into reusable materials.
He also revealed that the terminal operator is already procuring work wear (coveralls) made from recycled plastic waste, “and we would welcome a more circular economy, where not only the waste is collected in Nigeria but also where the value-adding processes are done in the country, further decreasing CO₂ emissions from transportation and creating jobs for Nigerians.”
Knudsen called for increased community awareness around plastic recycling, noting its potential to generate environmental and economic benefits.
The Chief Executive Officer of GIVO, Victor Boyle-Komolafe, explained that the recycling hub is solar-powered and services a 25-kilometre radius.
Boyle-Komolafe added that the facility currently recycles approximately 300 kilogrammes of waste per day, totalling about 90 metric tonnes annually.
According to Boyle-Komolafe, these efforts help avoid up to 3,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year.
“This project not only protects the environment but also drives economic empowerment,” he said. “We offer N300 per kilogram of waste collected and have created over 50 indirect jobs and 15 direct jobs,” Boyle-Komolafe said.
Also speaking at the event, the Deputy Director of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, Harry Olugboyega, criticised the casual disposal of plastic waste, which often blocks drainage systems and contributes to flooding.
