Lagos signs pact with British firm on recycling of plastic wastes

Lagos State Government has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with a British firm for the conversion of plastic wastes to energy. The state’s Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, who spoke during the signing of the letter at Alausa, Ikeja, at the weekend, said it was part of efforts to reduce plastic wastes in the state and facilitate their conversion.

According to him, the LoI will grant access to the Abule-Egba landfill for the collection of flexible plastic wastes for advanced chemical recycling. Wahab, who said that the project was a pilot one with GreenDeal Chemicals and Recycling and Greenback Recycling Technologies Ltd., noted that the organisation, known for the transformation and management of chemicals, as well as the promotion of a circular and sustainable economy, would work at the decommissioned Abule-Egba dumpsite in the state.

The commissioner said that the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) would make available waste deliveries to serve as feedstock for the four modules of chemical recycling unit to be installed at the site for the duration of the concession.

He added that the modules would require 32 metric tonnes of flexible plastic wastes per day as feedstock for chemical recycling from selected and sorted plastic wastes.

Wahab said that the initial installed four modules would process 11,680 metric tonnes of plastic wastes yearly, which translate to the prevention of 75,920kg of CO2 pollution as well as creating jobs and decent wage for approximately 1,100 waste pickers in the state.

The commissioner said that following the success of the pilot project, additional modules would be deployed and installed to scale-up the volume of processed plastic wastes.

On his part, Chief Executive Officer of GreenDeal Chemicals and Recycling, Dr Akintayo Adisa, said that the firm sets out to reduce wastes, increase recycling, and promote sustainable practices. He also expressed the willingness of the firm to work with the Lagos State government to actualise the circular economy plan of the state.