The National Environmental Management Authority NEMA in collaboration with the United Nations Environmental Policy, celebrated the World Environmental Day at Tharaka Nithi University today 5th June 2025. Today’s focus was to promote the agenda Kenya as an active member in the fight against plastic packaging and usage.
This is a deliberate move to promote and work together with the United Nations to uphold the environmental policy to countervail the modern day scourge that is critical and desperate for change.
Making headlines in UNEP on August 28th 2017, Kenya took the initiative and enacted a ban against single use plastics and ensured compliance with fine of 4 million Kenyan Shilling when caught selling or packaging using the said plastic.
This year NEMA is celebrating Kenya’s Journey in Plastic Pollution Management under the theme, “Ending Plastic Pollution”.
This was after plastic bags posed a grave threat to human and aquatic life. From blocking drains to suffocating aquatic life, leading to low production levels in the fisheries industry. On top of that, the burning of plastic bags leads to the release of chemicals with carcinogenic effects with risks of damaging DNA, cellular functions and cell growth, potential Cancer symptoms.
East Africa in general is equally an advocate in the beating plastic motion with Rwanda becoming the first country in the world to be plastic free in 2008 after 10 years of activism against plastic production and use.
Despite an active ban in most of the East African Countries including Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and South Africa, plastic bags are still in use in the said countries.
This year’s World Environment Day, was held in Jeju Island South Korea with around 10,000 people from around the globe attending. The Thursday’s event was to highlight the urgency of plastic pollution and seek solutions to plastic waste during.
Korea was selected to host the event during a high-level meeting between the Ministry of Environment and the United Nations Environment Program in September 2023.
Written by Julie Wangui
