Department of Mechanical Engineering and Skyscene Turn Waste Into Useful Products
University of Botswana Department of Mechanical Engineering in collaboration with a local company called Skyscene (Pty) Ltd, is working on a project to recycle used tyres. The role of the department in this project is to conduct research and develop new machines and technologies for production of new product-lines from recycled tyre raw material. 
On the other hand, Skyscene will produce some of the commonly used products such as rubber pavers, rubber tiles, rubber track top surface, and playground pavers. Once fully operational, the business will have commercial spillover effects, where new ventures will start and focus on producing different products for social, commercial and industrial applications.
An experimental section has been constructed using rubber pavers on campus to serve as a demonstration site as well as to investigate some of the performance properties in real operating conditions. The Department will unveil the experimental site on March 3, 2021.
The ceremony is expected to attract a number of stakeholders among them Skyscene (Pty) Ltd Management, Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, Department of Waste Management and Pollution Control, Department of Roads Transport and Safety, CEDA, Botswana Innovation Hub, SPEDU and Special Economic Zone Authority.