London, UK – A new era in sustainable recycling and manufacturing was unveiled last week with the official launch of the FREEE Recycle UK brand and its eco-friendly products made from recycled tyres. The event showcased the success of its pilot location in Nigeria and marked the beginning of the company’s full African roll-out plan. The landmark event took place at the House of Parliament located at the Palace of Westminster, London on Wednesday May 22, 2024.

FREEE Recycle Holding Limited is a UK-based holding company focused on developing, operating, and investing in Integrated Recycling and Manufacturing (IRM) companies across Africa. In 2020, FREEE Recycle Holding launched its first facility in Nigeria as a pilot location. Over the last four years, the company has developed a viable and sustainable business model that addresses waste management issues in Nigeria and creates market-ready products such as rubber floor mats, rubber floor tiles, and eco-footwear, while achieving commercial viability.

FREEE Recycle Holding launched its integrated recycling pilot facility in Nigeria in 2020, implementing the innovative IRM Business model that has demonstrated significant success in addressing waste tyre management issues. The pioneering integrated recycling and manufacturing approach was first validated through FREEE Recycle’s successful pilot operations in Nigeria. At its state-of-the-art facility owned and operated by FREEE Recycle Limited, its Nigerian subsidiary, over 250,000 waste tyres have been recycled into about 144,000 square meters of new rubber products, preventing over 8,100 metric tons of emissions, and eliminating breeding grounds for mosquitoes potentially preventing over 2,250 cases of malaria. The economic impacts of FREEE Recycle’s operations in Nigeria include the creation of over 400 jobs, and offering skilled training in recycling and manufacturing. The facility also supports local SMEs by sourcing materials and distributing products through local suppliers and distributors, thereby bolstering the local economy. With the successful implementation of the IRM business model in Nigeria, the company aims to replicate this sustainable business model across Africa, and also scale its operations in Nigeria, further enhancing its impact on waste management and economic development.

The company held its #GreenToGo campaign to commemorate the successful implementation of its pilot operation in Nigeria and celebrate its innovative integrated recycling and manufacturing business model, which diverts waste tyres from landfills and transforms them into useful, eco- friendly products suitable for both consumer and commercial use. The Campaign’s main highlight was the official UK launch event, marking the company’s expansion and commitment to sustainable practices. Other activities included a donation to Precious Jewels Adult Care Home in Lagos, Nigeria, and a webinar session titled “Closing the Loop: Strategies for Achieving a Zero Waste Future through Recycling Initiatives” to educate on the importance of recycling and sustainable practices.

The launch event commenced with a Breakfast and Networking session held at the prestigious House of Lords. This provided an opportunity for attendees to connect and discuss the significance of sustainable recycling and manufacturing. In delivering the welcome address, Baroness Sandip Verma, Chair of the UN Women Board, commended FREEE Recycle’s circular economic approach of recycling waste tyres into valuable new products, highlighting the company’s innovative and sustainable practices.

Mrs. Ifedolapo Runsewe, MD/CEO of FREEE Recycle Holding Limited in her opening remarks emphasized the success of the company’s operations in Nigeria and outlined its African rollout plan as well as the scaling of operations to other parts of Nigeria. Other keynote speakers included Dr. Yvonne Thompson CBE, Wintrade Global Women’s Network, Dr. Nero Ughwajabo, First Ladies Impact/Resilience Award, and Mr. Mofolasayo Oluwaloseyi, representing the Nigeria High Commission to the UK. Notable attendees included philanthropist, Lakshmi Singh and Mr. Temitope Runsewe, MD/CEO of Sage Grey Finance Limited, and representatives of Fidbank UK Limited among others.

The Networking session showcased FREEE Recycle’s innovative recycled rubber products, including mats, tiles, footwear, and more. Guests had the opportunity to experience these eco-friendly products firsthand, showcasing the practical output of the company’s sustainable recycling model. Attendees were impressed by the high quality and versatility of the products.

The final segment of the event was a Debate and Social Dialogue session at the House of Commons at the Palace of Westminster. This session provided a platform for in-depth discussions on sustainability, recycling, and the broader impact of eco-friendly initiatives. Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP of Streatham and sustainable fashion leader, Tamsin Lejeune, delivered welcome addresses to the guests. Their speeches set the tone for the discussions, with emphasis on the importance of sustainable practices and the need to support initiatives like FREEE Recycle Holding Limited. Dialogue at the session provided insight on several critical topics, including:

• Environmental Impact: Discussions on how FREEE Recycle’s initiatives reduce waste and promote environmental sustainability.
• Financing Green Initiatives: The need for increased investment in green technologies and sustainable projects.
• Public Awareness: Strategies for educating the public on the importance of sustainability and recycling.
• Economic Empowerment: The potential of ethical recycling to create jobs and stimulate economic growth.
• Sustainable Development: Requirements and support needed to advance sustainable development goals.

FREEE Recycle has received coverage from prestigious media outlets such as BBC, CNN, Reuters, and AP. Additionally, the company has formed valuable partnerships with organizations such as the Red Cross, MAERSK, and BASF Save the Children, Access Bank Plc among others enhancing its reach and effectiveness that share its vision for sustainability and community empowerment across Africa.

Speaking during the event, Mrs. Runsewe reinforced the company’s commitment to sustainability. “We are dedicated to environmental stewardship and inclusive economic empowerment through ethical recycling. We have had outstanding success over the past four years establishing our proof-of- concept operations in Nigeria, and we are delighted that the UK launch was so warmly embraced by leaders from government, business and the investor community. This reinforces our belief that providing a sustainable solution to the devastating environmental problem of waste tyres combined with positive social and economic impact is a winning model that can have a transformative effect in Nigeria and other parts of Africa”.

Mrs. Runsewe called for continued collaboration and support from partners, investors, stakeholders, and innovators to maximize the positive environmental and socioeconomic impacts of FREEE Recycle’s initiatives. She expressed sincere appreciation to the event’s distinguished guests, supporters, UK officials, and attendees, acknowledging their vital role in supporting FREEE Recycle’s mission and vision.

Building on the proven success of its Nigerian pilot, the company’s expansion roadmap includes plans for a new manufacturing plant in the UK, followed by a scale-up of FREEE Recycle’s Nigerian operations with several additional facilities set to be constructed to increase recycling capacity. This expansion is guided by the #GreenToGo campaign strategy, aiming to extend the benefits of sustainable recycling and manufacturing throughout the continent.

FREEE Recycle Holding UK is now rapidly expanding its sustainable tyre recycling solution across various regions in Africa. This will be followed by a scale-up of FREEE Recycle’s Nigerian operations with several additional facilities set to be constructed to increase processing capacity. The company intends to replicate the integrated recycling and manufacturing model in other African nations plagued by inadequate waste management practices and infrastructure deficit. “The waste tyre crisis represents a grave environmental threat, but also an immense opportunity for sustainable economic development across the developing world,” said Ifedolapo Runsewe. “Our UK launch marks a milestone, just the beginning of our mission transforming this pollution problem into an engine for job creation, skills training and community upliftment.”

FREEE Recycle Holding Limited extends its sincere gratitude to Mrs. Tokunboh Chiedu of Compass Global Business Services and her team for orchestrating the highly successful event. We also extend special thanks to Baroness Sandip Verma for graciously hosting us at the House of Parliament and to Dr. Yvonne Thompson for her invaluable support and active engagement throughout the event. We appreciate all our guests, partners and UK Parliament officials who attended the two-fold launch event in support of the innovative #GreenToGo campaign solving environmental and economic challenges through sustainable tyre recycling and manufacturing. The company invites other organizations, impact investors, government agencies and recyclers to be part of this mission in solving environmental and economic challenges through sustainable closed-loop recycling and local manufacturing.

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