NEMA warns of arrests as crackdown on banned plastic bags intensifies

Goats on a heap of plastic bags in Korogocho slums on May 26, 2021. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has warned that individuals found using banned plastic bags will be arrested and prosecuted as the crackdown intensifies.

Speaking during the destruction of confiscated plastic bags at the Busia County Referral Hospital incinerator, Busia County NEMA Director Cliff Barkatch reaffirmed that the use, manufacture, and importation of plastic carrier bags remains outlawed in Kenya.

“We have destroyed six bales, each containing 12,000 pieces, making a total of about 72,000 plastic bags. The offender was arrested while attempting to sneak them into the country and has since been charged and sentenced,” said Barkatch.

He said the crackdown will be sustained to ensure full compliance with environmental regulations, noting that NEMA is working closely with other enforcement agencies to curb the illegal trade.

“We will not relent in the fight against banned plastic bags. We will sustain the crackdown to ensure there is no use of these materials in our county,” he added.

Barkatch urged business operators requiring plastic packaging for legitimate purposes to follow due process and obtain the necessary approvals, warning that unauthorised use remains a punishable offence.

“It is illegal to use these bags in the country. Anyone whose business requires them must first seek approval and obtain a licence,” he said.

He also cited cross-border challenges, noting that differences in legislation between Kenya and neighbouring Uganda have contributed to continued smuggling through porous borders.

“The lack of a strict ban in Uganda has made enforcement difficult, as some individuals unknowingly bring in the bags, while others are deliberately engaging in illegal trade. We urge those involved to stop,” he noted.

Busia Resident Magistrate Daniel Ochieng called on the public to comply with Kenyan laws regardless of practices in neighbouring countries.

“As the judiciary, we continue to enforce the law and create awareness. What is prohibited in Kenya must be respected, even if it is allowed elsewhere,” he said.

He warned that offenders will face the full force of the law, adding that courts will continue to handle such cases firmly and efficiently.