Kenya rules out effecting plastic bottles ban in April

david nganga

February 7, 2018 3:20 PM

The Environment Ministry said the government is still drafting guidelines governing the ban.

Kenya has ruled out the manufacture and use of plastic bottles, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry has said.

Principal secretary Charles Sunkuli said Tuesday that the government is still drafting guidelines governing the ban.

“I wish to clarify that the ministry has not mooted any plans to ban plastic bottles by April and instead has approached the problem from establishing a take-back scheme,” he said. The scheme, he said, will involve collecting waste bottles and selling them for recycling.

The PS added that the ministry will give the way forward on the ban once they are done working on a take-back scheme.

“We are still working on a take-back scheme and the guidelines will be ready by April. It is after that that we will be able to say exactly when the ban on plastic bottle will be effected.”

The National Environment and Management Authority had previously given manufactures up to April to install collection points across the country failing which they were to effect the ban.

Last week, Mr Sunkuli said the plastic bags ban has recorded 80 per cent success rate adding that the efforts are ongoing to ensure 100 percent compliance especially in the counties and in open-air markets.

david nganga