The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has flagged 29 companies within the Nairobi metropolis accused of pollution of the Nairobi River.
In a statement dated Wednesday, NEMA noted that the discovery was made during an inspection of the river in January.
As a result, the companies were directed to clean the water body within the next 30 days.
Some of the companies that were listed by NEMA include Brookside Dairy Limited, Ndhiwa Sukari Industries Limited, Pearl Dairy Farm Limited, Kenya Tea Packers Limited, Mini Bakeries (NRB) Limited and Mjengo Limited.
Others were Unilever Kenya Limited, Kapa Oil Refineries Limited, BAT Kenya, Yemken Trading Company Limited, Kilimambogo Millers Limited, Dawa Limited, UDV(Kenya ) Limited, Meru Central Dairy Cooperative Union Limited, Softcare Kenya Company Limited and Sunveat Foods Limited.
Fabrique Par; Promasidor(Kenya) Limited, Bidcoro Africa Limited for Suntory Beverage & Food Kenya Limited, Weetabix East Africa Limited, Laboratory and Allied Limited, Beta Health Care, Mars Wringley Confectionery Kenya Limited, Global Mark Food Limited, Premier Food Limited and Gold Crown Beverages(Kenya) Limited.
NEMA also flagged the Githunguri Dairy Farmers Cooperative Society, Kinangop Dairy Milk Limited, Kamili Packers Limited and. Kensalt Limited
"NEMA carried out inspections at various points within the Nairobi River catchment on January 18, 2024. The inspection team established that there were assorted synthetic wastes, along the river part which bore the identity of different producers.
"It was also established that the waste had accumulated in the rivers interfering with their flow, posed a potential threat of flooding, and water pollution and are likely to have adverse environmental effects on the general environment," read the statement in part.
Additionally, apart from cleaning the river, the companies were directed to file a report on the cleaning exercise.
"Each company is expected to do the following within 30 days of receipt of this environment restoration order. Submit to NEMA the EPR plan for the management of waste emanating from their products and packaging for the Nairobi River catchment region.
"The orders were signed by the Director General NEMA on January 25 and this marks the first day of enforcement of the provisions of Extended Producer Responsibility in Kenya. It is expected that the producers will operationalize their EPR plans to prevent environmental pollution by their products," NEMA added.
