Recycling firm: Lagos generates 870,000 tonnes of plastic waste yearly

Freee Recycle Limited, a waste recycling company has disclosed that Lagos state generates 870,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually.

This was disclosed by the Managing Director of BASF West Africa, Jean-Marc while speaking at an event recently in Lagos.

Jean-Marc described the volume of waste generated by the state as a source of wealth for the state.

According to him, there is a huge market in waste recycling saying Nigeria still has a long way to go when it comes to the issue of waste, adding that the volume of waste in Nigeria and the total value in the emerging market is becoming a problem.

Jean-Marc added that the name change from Freetown recycling to Freee recycling will immediately provide solutions to the problem and people will start seeing big opportunities in waste recycling.

“When we collaborate the first thing we look at is that we share common values and passion but measuring your success is very critical and you can only look at it from the total value of society’s perspective. We often see piles of plastic waste in Lagos, and everybody drops it in the garbage and they don’t even care about it. Look at it as mining in that particular pile you might have five to seven different types of plastics some of them have electricity value tied to them and others have a growing value chain for recycling”.

Also speaking at the event, the Managing Director of Freee Recycle Limited, Ifedolapo Runsewe, said the announcement of the name change to the general public and their new identity signifies the commencement of their pan-African agenda.

She said Freetown Recycle Waste Management Limited started in Nigeria in 2018 with plans to expand into other African countries.

Runsewe stated that Nigeria has a long way to go in adopting better waste disposal but that the beauty about it is that we are beginning to open up and embrace recycling methods.

Earlier, Chairman of Freee Recycle Limited, Gladys Quist- Adebiyi, in her welcome address said the company ventured into the waste recycling business during the pick of the covid-19 pandemic.

“This name change event will herald the start of our future in the short period of operation we have made remarkable strides that have put Nigeria on the map as never seen before.”