NEMA Reports Success in Ban on Plastic Bags
To cut off supply of the banned carrier bags to the market he says NEMA is now zeroing on Manufactures with plans to manage plastic bottles underway.
Two months after launching the ban on plastic bags, National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) is reporting 100 percent compliance in the implementation of ban.
According NEMA Director Prof. General Geoffrey Wahungu, strict enforcement that has seen arrests of about 60 people so far as well as consumer education and general goodwill from Kenyans has contributed to the success. 11 people were arrested in Kisii and Nyamira last week, but most arrests have been made in Nairobi and Mombasa.
He says that the challenge the authority still has is completely wiping, out the smaller and lighter bags used by small scale traders for packing groceries.
To cut off supply of the banned carrier bags to the market he says NEMA is now zeroing on Manufactures with plans to manage plastic bottles underway. The director says that their focus is on the source, though they know there are people still hoarding bags for household trash.
NEMA and the National Youth Service are working together to clean up major highways with Nairobi – Nakuru highway cleared of paper bags and plastic bottles.
According to the director Kenyans who are happy with the ban on paper bags have been pressuring them to also ban plastic bottles, but he says NEMA is keen on managing plastic bottle waste.
Wahungu says that that their immediate step going forward is to have all public transport vehicles have waste disposal bins as from 10th December 2017.