The National Environment Management Authority (Nema) has unearthed the importation of plastic carrier bags syndicate in parts of the Western Kenya region and arrested two suspects behind the scam.
The plastic bags are imported into the country from Uganda and other countries that have unsuccessfully banned the carriers through porous border points and are supplied to various markets by ‘organized’ cartels to specific customers who are ready to protect them.
In most cases, the cartels enjoy the protection of some corrupt government officials after parting with some bribes.
The Nema officials on Thursday impounded more than 350,000 pieces of the banned plastic bags in Eldoret city and arrested two suspects behind the scam.
The Uasin Gishu Nema County Director of Environment Solomon Kihiu and other law enforcement officers seized the consignment at Shauri in Turbo sub-county as the suspects prepared to distribute the banned plastic bags into the market.
“The suspects were taken to Eldoret court awaiting prosecution,” said Mr Kihiu.
The plastic carriers are imported alongside the biodegradable ones or second-hand clothes and are supplied to clients at odd hours.
“This is the largest consignment to be seized in the recent past in the fight against banned plastic,” said Mr Kihiu.
Apart from Rwanda and Kenya, other East African countries such as Tanzania and Burundi have yet to ban the use of plastic bags.
In Kenya, plastic bags are popular among vegetable and snack dealers, breeders of tree seedlings and packaging of small items but the materials have become a source of environmental pollution.
Some of the unregulated plastic bag firms mainly located in residential areas are cashing on the demand of the products by small-scale traders for packaging solutions.
A spot check by the Nation. Africa at the Eldoret main market indicated that the dealers have secret arrangements with the suppliers who deliver the plastic carriers at designated points.
“Some of these plastic bags are old stocks and the dealers are making frantic to dispose of them to avert losses,” said a trader at the Eldoret market who requested not to be named.
The nylon bags are also in circulation in other major towns region like Bungoma and Kitale despite Nema and other law enforcement agencies launching crack-down on individuals behind the illegal importation of the banned nylons into the country.
“We have crack-down on individuals involved in illegal importation of the plastic bags and measures have been put in place to seal off areas where the products are sneaked into the country,” said Mr Kihiu.
He said the task force which receives complaints on environmental pollution has received reports of illegal importation of the banned plastic bags through the Kenya-Uganda border.
“We do not want to go back to the business of the outlawed plastic carriers and Nema will take drastic measures against individuals who flout the ban,” added Mr Kihiu.
The government has imposed a fine of Sh50,000 for anyone found with plastic shopping bags while manufacturers flouting the ban will be fined between Sh2 to Sh4 million.
The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) and Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) have developed alternative decomposable materials to plastic bags.
