Lafarge Africa Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to working at the highest level towards reducing the impact of industrial waste as it announced the commencement of 2021 Geocycle week.

The Head of Geocycle, Lafarge Africa, Mr Daniel Adedokun, gave this indication in a statement on Monday in Lagos.

The theme of the Geocycle week is: “Think Planet, Think Solutions to commemorate World Clean-up Day”, held every Sept. 18. Geocycle partnered with the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA).

Geocycle is the initiative for the future from today. According to the United Nations Habitat Watch, African city populations will more than triple over the next 40 years and as this happens more waste will be generated.

Adedokun said that employees and volunteers from Lafarge and volunteers from the FBRA recycling partners participated in the cleaning exercise.

“At Lafarge, our commitment to sustainability is unwavering. We drive a circular economy across everything we do, to keep materials in use for as long as possible, giving them a second, a third and a fourth life and using only what is needed to preserve nature.

“Improving waste collection is fundamental to advancing the circular economy and to reducing marine litter.

“Geocycle is stepping up to this challenge by helping businesses achieve plastic neutrality. This year, Geocycle week’s theme is Think Planet Think Solutions.

“In Nigeria, Geocycle has partnered with some industries driving plastic neutrality since 2018. In 2020, 70,000 tonnes of various types of waste, representing 9% of its energy across the country, was co-processed in our cement kilns,” he said .

Adedokun further said: “The world is currently faced with the worst climate change occurrences in recent history; frequent and intense droughts, storms, heat waves, rising sea levels, melting glaciers and warming oceans.

“As such, every available measure at our disposal as a race must be utilized in ensuring a greener and smarter world that works for all.

“As a responsible organisation and leader in sustainable and innovative building solutions, it is our duty to ensure our resources are used in a closed loop system to minimize waste.

“Lafarge Africa is working at the highest level to reduce the impact of industrial waste. He reaffirmed Lafarge Africa’s sustainability agenda that transcends individual efforts into partnerships with other organisations and companies.

“To ensure progress for people and the planet and for a greener sustainable environment,” Adedokun said.

The Commercial Manager, Geocycle, Mr Temitope Dosumu, said: “The purpose of today’s cleaning event is to sensitize people within Bariga community and its environs on the importance of sorting waste from source and cleaning up the environment and streets.

“This will go a long way to reduce the volume of waste that goes to the dump sites and drainages and will prevent poor waste management.

“The World Clean Up Day is a reminder that we all have a part to play in attaining a zero-waste future.

“Seventy-five per cent of all plastics ever produced have accumulated in landfills and the natural environment. The world is on track to add 12 billion more tonnes to that amount by 2050, or more than double the already alarming amount,” he noted.