A 2016-graduate of the Department of Crop Protection (CPT), College of Plant Science and Crop Production (COLPLANT), Miss Eniola Balogun, has carved a niche for herself in the world of recycling. Driven by the need to see that the environment is safe with reduced pollution from open burning, Miss Balogun disclosed that she intends to earn a living and create awareness by educating the people on how to reduce, reuse and recycle waste materials such as tyres.
Miss Balogun, who is the Creative Director of Bee Recycling, which is located in Ibadan, Oyo State, said she established the company due to people’s high disrespect for the environment, adding that beyond the primary purpose which the initiative was centered on, it is equally interested in the post-primary conversion of used vehicle tyres into items or products of a higher quality. According to her, the tyres are converted into eco-friendly usable items such as wall mirrors and furniture such as seats and centre tables, children swings, throwing targets, flower vases and for beautification purposes.
Miss Balogun, who is currently promoting environmental health and wellness, added that the business was unique in its own way as it births creativity through the opening of minds to think differently and by seeing something that had been trashed and transforming them, unlike having to build something from the scratch. She, however, stated that the business was a thriving one for developing countries like Nigeria. The Ex-FUNAAbite, who holds an MSc Degree in Plant Pathology, further stated that rather than burning off and disposing waste, they are re-adapted into eco-friendly and usable items that could make the environment safe from heavy metals and toxic chemicals. Bee Recycles is a social enterprise that is borne out of the desire to manage waste by elongating the lifecycle of waste materials while creating more awareness on environmental protection and sustainability, which is a pointer to the yearnings of many universities for their students to be job-creators and not job-seekers.
