The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has banned the use of plastic garbage bags and bin liners in a bid to fully transition to the use of biodegradable garbage bags for organic waste collection.
This according to a statement released on Monday, April 22, by the authority, should be implemented within 90 days.
“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.
The authority in a bid to ensure that this is implemented nationally, has directed all County governments and private waste service providers licensed by NEMA to provide their clients with the 100 percent biodegradable garbage bags and bin liners.
NEMA has 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 the segregated waste should be placed in properly labelled and color coded bins/ awaiting collection.
“All waste service providers to collect, handle and transport segregated waste,” the statement continues to read.
In 2017, Nema noted that the government had banned the manufacture, importation and use of carrier bags used for commercial and household packaging.
“The government in 2017 vide Gazette notice Nos 2334 & 2356 banned the manufacture, importation and use of plastic carrier bags used for commercial and household packaging. This included garbage bags and bin liners in it’s scope.” The statement reads.
According to the Sustainable Waste Management Act Kenyans who go against the directive risks imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or upon conviction be fined a sum of not more than Ksh. 20,000 or both.
PUBLIC NOTICE: Transition to the use biodegradable garbage bags for organic waste collection pic.twitter.com/UQ2tyOlr07
— NEMA Kenya (@NemaKenya) April 22, 2024