TECOCARRE
Affordable, durable and ergonomic school benches from upcycled plastic waste
TECO2 developed an innovative material to produce resistant and long-lasting school benches. By processing recycled plastic waste and local plant fibres, the product offers price and quality advantages over classic wooden benches. The school benches are directly sold to schools and programmes or to NGOs promoting education.
Besides the production of school benches, the enterprise strives to produce and market a broad range of furniture to respond to the growth potential of this sector in Burkina Faso.
Eco-Inclusive Impacts
The enterprise provides ergonomic school benches that improve the learning conditions of pupils. By sourcing input materials locally, the enterprise not only strengthens the local economy but also improves the livelihood of all actors along the value chain.
- Providing ergonomic school benches to improve learning conditions for pupils.
- Offering sustainable income to improve the livelihoods of all actors along the new value chain, so far creating 126 green jobs in waste collection.
- Recycling 600 tonnes of plastic waste from 2014 to 2016 thereby preventing 11,500 tonnes of carbon emissions.
- Supporting the struggle against deforestation and progressing droughts by using a wood substitute.
Promoting the economic development of Burkina Faso by creating employment opportunities and a new value chain.
Offering potential for municipalities and educational institutions to save by providing a cheaper alternative to wooden school benches.
Partners
TECO2 markets school benches sustainably produced from plastic waste and other locally sourced input materials. As this mixture of materials substitutes wood as a raw material in the production process, the enterprise contributes to the mitigation of deforestation and environmental pollution.
TECO2, a private company, developed the innovative technology and manufactures and markets its environmentally friendly school benches.
Institut International d'Ingénierie de l’Eau et de l’Environnement, a research institute, supported the research and development of the innovative composite material and continuously offers additional managerial, technical and financial support.
APEVA, a local association of waste recycling enterprises, supports the training and organisation of recycling groups supplying plastic waste to TECO2.