NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 1 – The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) will close down county markets that will be found using the banned plastic bags.
According to NEMA, action will also be taken against any market manager that is found tolerating the use of these bags, which were banned back in 2017.
“NEMA will be taking enforcement action on market managers who condone the use of the banned bags and further close the markets where this crime is committed as provided for under Section 145 of Environmental Management and Coordination Act (EMCA), 1999,” NEMA stated on X.
It has been highlighted that the use of plastic bags in the market has been recurrent within various county markets and businesses licensed by devolved units.
“It (is) ironic that market managers cannot allow the sale of banned items such as bhang and other drugs, but are condoning the use of banned plastic bags,” NEMA stressed.
NEMA has further alerted that it has notified the council of governors and has urged them to warn counties that enforcement action will be taken against the use of banned plastic bags.
The Authority has further assured that it is working collaboratively with market managers to ensure that they sensitize traders to embrace the use of eco-friendly and biodegradable bags.
“The Authority has been working with County market managers, where they have been asked to ensure that no one uses the banned bags within their markets but rather use eco-friendly/biodegradable bags,” It stated.
