Porous borders, illegal plastic trade pulling back progress

Police officers and Migori County NEMA officials impounding charcoal packed in plastic bags. [Caleb Kingwara, Standard]

In a setback to Kenya's efforts to combat plastic pollution, the porous borders with Uganda and Tanzania have emerged as weak links. This allows unscrupulous traders to smuggle banned plastic bags into the country.

Authorities in Migori are mulling ways to eradicate an influx of banned plastic bags in the county. Rogue traders have been taking advantage of the porous Tanzanian border to smuggle plastic bags into Migori markets.