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The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has issued a ban on the use of plastic bags for collecting and disposing of garbage.
"In a notice dated April 8, Nema said Kenyans have 90 days to stop using plastic bags from the date of the notice."
"The use of conventional plastic bags/bin liners for collection of organic waste shall thus cease forthwith," the notice reads.
Nema has mandated that all garbage must now be carried in biodegradable garbage bags.
"All organic waste generated by households, private sector and public sector institutions, private and public functions and events; shall strictly be segregated and placed in 100% biodegradable garbage bags/bin liners only," Nema said.
This directive aligns with Section 12 of the Sustainable Waste Management Act, 2022.
The section stipulates that: (1) All public and private sector entities must segregate non-hazardous waste into organic and non-organic fractions, (2) The segregated waste must be placed in properly labelled and colour coded receptacles, bins, containers, and bags. (3) All waste service providers must collect, handle, and transport segregated waste.
This decision comes seven years after the Kenyan government imposed a ban on the manufacture, importation, and use of plastic carrier bags for commercial and household packaging.
The initial ban in 2017 was enacted by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.
