Government to enforce law on plastic bottles

CS Keriako Tobiko chairing a meeting between the Ministry and KAM representatives in the boardroom. With him is CAS Mohammed Elmi (left)and PS Charles Sunkuli.

The government will ban use of plastic bottles if the Kenya Association of Manufacturers does not comply with the law to come up with modalities of mopping the environment of the pet bottles.

Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko said in no uncertain terms that he will not hesitate to use the same law that banned use of polythene bags to deal with pet bottles that litter the environment.  The CS said this when he met representatives of KAM in his office.

The association was to prepare and discuss guidelines for the proposed take back scheme, proposals for recycling modalities and develop an MOU to guide the implementation of the scheme.  KAM was also expected to come up with a public awareness and creation strategy complete with timelines. Tobiko reiterated that if KAM does not meet its part of the bargain, the government will have no option but ban use of plastic bottles in the country.

He added that Kenyans were awaiting conclusion of this crucial step and urged KAM to move fast to elaborate how the take back scheme will work, indicate the collection centres for the bottles and incentives proposed. KAM was also requested to label all their bottles and to inform the public where to dispose of the plastic bottles, refine guidelines on the charges to be levied and explore incentive options that will ensure a plastic free environment.

A representative from KAM noted the concerns of the government and agreed to prepare a comprehensive implementation matrix and an MoU that will guide the process. He reported that they will adopt the South African model that works through recyclers. To realize this, he said a SA company known as Pet co will be launched on 19^th April to start the process of collection of the pet bottles. He added that they have seven recyclers ready to embark on the workload but only one has been cleared.

The take back scheme was to be effected on 1^st April, 2018 after what was negotiated earlier is agreed upon and signed by both parties.

Present during the meeting was the Chief Administrative Secretary Mohamed Elmi, Principal Secretary, Charles Sunkuli, Director General, Nema Prof. Geoffrey Wahungu, Director, Public Awareness and Education, Dr. Ayub Macharia, Director Multilateral Environmental Agreements, Richard Mwendandu and Director, Urban Rivers Rehabilitation Programme Eric Akotsi among others.