Standards body allays fears of plastic rice in Kenya

Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) has denied the existence of plastic rice in the Kenyan market as depicted in a social media video that has since gone viral.

In an emailed statement to the newsrooms, Managing Director Charles Ongwae dismissed the video as fake allegations and clarified that it was just plastics being recycled.

“The video circulating on social media shows a common process often conducted by manufacturers when recycling plastic materials,” he said.

TESTED SAMPLES

“Through it, used plastic products are recycled and converted into pellets, which can then be re-used to produce various plastic products.”

Mr Ongwae further said the Kebs market surveillance team had conducted several store visits, collected and tested the samples.

All the tests, he affirmed, showed the rice that is currently in the market was safe for consumption.