The manufacturing of plastic bags is still on going, mainly in Nairobi’s Industrial area, four months after the ban was effected, National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has said.
The manufacturers according to Business Daily are also in Mlolongo (Machakos) and Thika hence rendering the ban ineffective.
”We are following intelligence of illegal manufacturing. Two manufacturers have been arrested,” Deputy Director NEMA, Mwanzei Ali said adding that traders have continuously defied the order.
The August ban has seen 20 people arrested in Mombasa, Nyeri and Bomet counties.
BD reports that some 20 manufacturers are still in operation but illegally. The directive did however exempt manufacturers who use polythene to wrap their products.
Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) argued that there would be an ‘imminent loss of 20,000 direct and 400,000 indirect jobs can be turned around into job creation and more tax for the government if their proposal for waste management is adopted instead of the total ban.’
But CS Environment, Judi Wakhungu maintained that the directive brings more benefits than harm.
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The ban was praised on Monday during the third United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) conference.
President of the 2017 UNEA, Dr Edgar Gutiérrez applauded Kenya’s efforts in fighting environmental pollution.
”Only through stronger collective action, beginning in Nairobi this week, can we start cleaning up the planet globally and save countless lives,” he said.
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