The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) on Monday, April 22 banned the use of plastic garbage bags and bin liners.
In a statement, NEMA noted that in 2017, the government had banned the manufacture, importation and use of plastic carrier bags and flat bags used for commercial and household packaging.
As such, the Authority remarked that there would be a crackdown to ensure that this was fully adhered to.
"To ensure environmentally sound management of the organic waste fraction, the Authority hereby directs that within 90 days from the date of this notice; All organic waste generated by households, private sector and public sector institutions, religious institutions, private and public functions and events; shall strictly be segregated and placed in 100 per cent biodegradable garbage bags/ bin liners only," the statement read in part.
Additionally, it was reported that all households should collect organic waste separately and have it transported to a designated Material Recovery Facility for further processing.
"The use of conventional plastic bags/bin liners for collection of organic waste shall thus cease forthwith," NEMA directed.
To ensure that the directive was implemented nationally, all county governments and private waste service providers licensed by NEMA were required to provide their clients the 100 per cent biodegradable garbage bags/bin liners.
NEMA issued the ban guided by Section 12 of the Sustainable Waste Management Act, 2022 which requires all public and private sector entities to segregate non-hazardous waste into organic and non-organic fractions.
All homeowners and households were directed to label and colour code their bins, containers and bags of their segregated waste.
"All waste service providers to collect, handle and transport segregated waste," it was directed further.
According to the Sustainable Waste Management Act Kenyans who do not obey the directive upon conviction will be fined a sum not exceeding Ksh20,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or both.
