Nairobi 30 May 2019 – Responding to the news that the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has issued a warning over the return of plastic bags in the country, Greenpeace Africa’s Campaigner  Amos Wemanya has said:

“To curb the influx of contraband single-use plastics into Kenya, the government needs to improve its coordination and collaboration among various enforcement agencies including the NEMA, National Intelligence Service and Police units acting both within and across borders to nab the illegal suppliers of banned single-use plastic carrier bags.

“Unscrupulous businessmen and traders continue to take advantage of the porous Kenya-Uganda border to bring the banned plastic into Kenya. The East African legislative members need to push for coordinated enforcement of the regional single-use plastic carrier bags ban to achieve the benefits of a single-use plastic carrier bags ban. Tanzania who have recently banned single-use plastic effective 1 June 2019, will be singing from the same hymn sheet if a regional policy is not implemented.

“Greenpeace Africa is calling on Kenya’s government to tighten policies and regulations on plastics and give incentives to producers that will come up with affordable alternatives to single-use plastics. This will make alternatives more affordable, stimulate more production thus influencing the accessibility to small scale retailers and consumers who form the larger population that is consuming illegally acquired single-use plastic carrier bags.”

Media contact:

Hellen Dena, Communication Officer – Greenpeace Africa, [email protected], +254 717 104144