Tracing the EoL Tyre Management Chain in Togo with Focus on Implementing a Tyre Recycling Plant

Mona-Maria Narra (), Djangbadjoa Gbiete, Komi Agboka, Satyanarayana Narra and Michael Nelles
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Mona-Maria Narra: Professorship of Waste and Resource Management and Professorship of Material and Energy Valorisation of Biogenous Residues, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany
Djangbadjoa Gbiete: Professorship of Waste and Resource Management and Professorship of Material and Energy Valorisation of Biogenous Residues, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany
Komi Agboka: West African Service Center for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Use (WASCAL), University of Lomé, Lomé 01BP1515, Togo
Satyanarayana Narra: Professorship of Waste and Resource Management and Professorship of Material and Energy Valorisation of Biogenous Residues, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany
Michael Nelles: Professorship of Waste and Resource Management and Professorship of Material and Energy Valorisation of Biogenous Residues, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 21, 1-15

Abstract: As part of the “Waste2Energy: hybrid energy from waste as a sustainable solution for West-Africa” project, a tyre recycling plant is being constructed in Davié, north of Lomé, Togo. Understanding the tyre management chain is crucial for establishing the plant’s supply chain. This study aimed to highlight the gaps in and the importance of tyre recycling in Togo while assessing the potential of EoL tyres for the implementation of a tyre recycling plant. Togo’s vehicle fleet, predominantly concentrated in Lomé, is rapidly increasing at a rate of 6% per year, reaching an estimated 285,000 vehicles. Due to economic constraints and limited new tyre availability, most vehicle users opt for used tyres, which have a limited lifespan due to poor road conditions. An investigation of EoL tyre quantities and management chains in Togo was carried out. To evaluate the used and end-of-life tyre management chains, both direct observation and interviews with approximately 200 used-tyre dealers were conducted. The study revealed that, on average, drivers replace tyres every 7.4 months, generating between 30,525 t/a and 78,000 t/a of used tyres, 75% of which are replaced due to severe damage or wear. While the used tyre business is well organized, end-of-life tyre treatment is nearly non-existent, often involving dumping, open burning for metal recovery, or use in meat processing, causing environmental and health risks. To address these challenges, an 8 t/hr capacity tyre recycling plant is planned, based on estimated tyre availability and development opportunities for sustainable recycling in Togo.

Keywords: end-of-life tyres; recycling; tyre management chain; Togo (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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