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By Victor MUJIDU
This year marks 7 years the Kenyan government outlawed the usage of plastic bags in the country following rampant air and water pollution that interfered with the ecosystem.
The ban on plastic bags which took effect on August 28 2027, was a pioneering bold move that compelled all stakeholders involved in the use, manufacture and importation of the products used for commercial and domestic purposes to abide by the legal directive.
In a gazette notice dated February 28, 2017, the then Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Natural Resources, Judi W. Wakhungu, announced a ban on “the use, manufacture, and importation of all plastic bags used for commercial and household packaging” effected in August 2017.
However, despite a single-use bag ban in 2017, business people, waste collectors are still inundated with plastic and there seems to be no prospective measures the government to monitor those in breach of environmental laws in relation to the interdiction.
The plastic bag business has thrived and tends to be a usual enterprise even despite the government ban.
While seeking comments from the public on why there is a proclivity for plastic bag use in the country, albeit at a minimal rate, some were willing to cooperate while others turned it down. I managed to interview a businessman selling “muguka” who was willing to explain more about the plastic bag business.
“The business of plastic bags is similar to that of bhang, which is secretly done and very expensive. It’s an illegal business done between Kenya and Uganda, and personally, I get it from my supplier, who normally comes and drops some at my shop while moving around to supply to other businessmen and women,” said one of the businessmen in areas of Ndonyo Market in Kikuyu who seeks anonymity.
Aside from “muguka” packaging, the usage of plastic bags is widespread and extensive in the packaging of market goods like bread and sugar, as well as some other items.
Due to the importation of plastic bags from Uganda, as alleged, there could be a business operation that is outside bureaucratic controls and hence difficult to be accounted for by the Kenyan government.
In a different context, some claim that they are hesitant to disclose specifics about who exactly runs the business because they are concerned about the bravado laws put in place by the government and the punishment imposed on individuals who plead guilty in court.
From an anonymous trader, “I can’t tell you who exactly operates the business because we’re aware of the government laws and how NEMA is tight to those who conduct the paper bag business; however, no local manufacturer is manufacturing or recycling the plastic bags.”.
Commonly referred to as “mama mbogas”, the traders are freely using the transparent polythenes while serving their customers for grocery purchases in what has become a norm with no enforcement in place.
As a result, that sloppiness from Nema officials and other implementing agencies has seen a host of households continue to use plastic carrier bags, popularly known as “juala” for routine grocery shopping within their residential estates, while a good number of grocery yards are serving regulars using the same bags.
Initially, the usage was mostly rampant in the evenings and at night, but it is now conducted in broad daylight without fear of being arrested.
Violating the ban
This extension was to enable retailers to clear their stocks, and upon its termination bar manufacturers from producing and importing such products in the country.
Nema also picked inspectors and environment police to ensure manufacturers complied with the ban as well as impose charges on those flouting the restraint.
Such a task now seems elusive for the supervisors who have no control over those violating the ban.
Other enforcement agencies include National Police Service, Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Customs police, Kenya Revenue Authority and Anti-Counterfeit Authority.
Also surprisingly, a good number of consumers are not aware of the take-back scheme by the authority for collection of plastic bags meant for recycling.
Back to the drawing board, the government enacted the ban in an effort to lessen the aesthetic effects on the environment, cases of severe animal deaths from plastic ingestion, cases of emission of poisonous gases released from burning plastics, flooding in urban areas caused by the clogging of plastic bags, breeding of harmful organisms, and the lengthy half-life for the decomposition of plastic bags.
As bold as the government is in securing the environment, nearly 20 per cent of individuals across the country are still using plastic bags.
According to the government, 80 percent of the population halted the use of plastic bag carriers, giving hope to the country in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
As per the government orders on the use of plastic bags, anyone found manufacturing, importing, or selling a plastic carrier bag could be fined up to Ksh5.2 million or face a prison sentence of up to four years.
Using the banned bags carries a fine of more than Ksh65,185 or a jail term of more than a year and not exceeding four years.
Plastic contributes to climate change, causing the environment to be too costly to manage as the plastics emit greenhouse gases while decomposing.
The most commonly used plastics have been shown to release the greenhouse gases ethylene and methane as they decompose, the latter of which traps atmospheric heat at 25 times the rate of carbon dioxide over the course of a century.
In conclusion, the relationship between plastic bags and climate change is significant. The production, disposal, and impacts of plastic bags all contribute to the overall challenge of climate change.
By addressing the widespread use and improper disposal of plastic bags, we can make a positive impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, resource depletion, and harm to wildlife and ecosystems.
Transitioning to sustainable alternatives and promoting responsible consumption and waste management practices are crucial steps towards mitigating the adverse effects of plastic bags on climate change.
Additional Reporting by Steve UMIDHA
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Financial Fortune is a digital financial news website and print business magazine published in Nairobi by Fortune & Transit Publishers Ltd and covers the financial services sector through news, views and extensive people coverage since 2018.
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