APM Terminals Apapa recycles used lubricants, PPEs to reduce waste

APM Terminals Apapa has begun the recycling of used lubricants and discarded Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as boilersuits and reflective jackets.

This is in partnership with Kevron Consulting, certified by the relevant authority in Lagos State.

The terminal made this known last week ahead of the International Day of Zero Waste celebrations on March 30.

“We understand the need to monitor the disposal of our used lubricants. We do not want to contribute to environmental degradation and have our used lubes end up in the waterways, clogging the drains or further used for transportation contributing to air pollution. Our used lubricants are safely evacuated from the terminal, treated, and then recycled for other purposes or in some cases, safely disposed of,” Felix Ugwuagbo, health and safety manager, said.

According to him, the terminal encourages its employees to hand over their torn/unusable reflective jackets, and boilersuits in exchange for new ones.

“These discarded PPE are then handed over to a partner organisation that washes, treats, and recycles them into rags used for cleaning within our terminal,” he said.

To preserve and prolong the shelf life of PPEs to reduce waste generation, the terminal also runs an onsite laundry service that cares for the protective clothing worn by frontline employees. To ensure the laundry service follows washing guidelines provided by the PPE manufacturers, the terminal’s HSE, Facility Management, and Procurement teams work closely with the laundry service provider.

Over the last few years, the terminal has embarked on a focused campaign to not only reduce its waste but also to recycle it for other purposes.

In 2021, it banned the use of single-use plastic bottled water, eliminating an annual waste of 408,800 plastic bottles. It purchases boilersuits and reflective jackets produced from recycled PET bottles from its international partner.

In 2022, it signed an MOU with FREEE Recycle Limited, to recycle its used tyres into blocks for exterior paving.

Steen Knudsen, terminal manager of APM Terminals said, “The Environmental, Social, and Governance Strategy of the AP-Moller Maersk Group, of which we are a part, is to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. This means reducing our environmental footprint on solid waste which contributes to these gas emissions.

“As a business, we will continue to identify areas of continuous improvement and opportunities, to promote sustainable patterns in our consumption and operations by recycling,” he said.