National Environment Management Authority of Kenya (NEMA) on Monday issued 145 companies with restoration orders after undertaking extensive surveillance of the Nairobi River.
According to NEMA, the products of the 145 companies were found to pollute rivers within Nairobi City County posing health risks to the city residents.
Leading the event dubbed Nairobi River ecosystem restoration through Climate Worx Mtaani initiative, Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale met with industry producers on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) to discuss ways to clean the Nairobi River.
"In the unlikely event that the product continues to cause pollution, this will trigger the need for NEMA and the producers to engage in a discussion with an intention to ban that product or packaging,” CS Duale stated.
In the restoration orders, the said companies are mandated to clean up their waste products from the rivers through the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme.
“EPR requires you to rethink the products you introduce into the Kenyan market to ensure they are safe,” he added while addressing industry producers in Nairobi.
EPR is a waste and pollution management concept that encourages companies to design more sustainable and recyclable products and manufacturing processes that conserve the environment.
The companies have been forced to undertake cleanup of these rivers. Some of the pollutants to be removed include plastic bottles, papers, fecal waste, solid waste, and even radioactive substances.
The Authority is actively compelling all producers to undertake mandatory EPR for their products through Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs).
PROs have commenced buying back waste and waste pickers have started receiving payments for their service in a bid to further clean the environment.
The development came as CS Duale announced the recruitment of 10,000 youths to clean the polluted Nairobi River. Earlier, the CS had threatened to close factories found dumping their waste into rivers.
Under the restoration orders, should the 145 companies fail to clean up their waste in rivers within Nairobi, their will licenses will be revoked and closed.
On August 13 CS Duale directed the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to crack the whip on deviant companies polluting the Nairobi River maintaining that the restoration order of the ailing river must be respected.
NEMA in February this year directed 29 companies to clean up the Nairobi River after inspections found assorted synthetic wastes bearing known brands
