The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has identified 29 companies operating within the Nairobi metropolis allegedly responsible for the pollution of the Nairobi River.
In a statement, NEMA said it made the discovery after it conducted an inspection in January.
“NEMA carried out inspections at various points within the Nairobi River catchment on January 18, 2024.
The inspection team established that there were assorted synthetic wastes along the river, bearing the identity of different producers,” NEMSA said.
“It was also established that the waste had accumulated in the rivers, interfering with their flow, posing a potential threat of flooding, water pollution, and likely adverse environmental effects on the general environment.”
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NEMA Tough Demands
Consequently, NEMA has issued a directive requiring the implicated companies to undertake the cleaning of the water body within the next 30 days.
The list of companies includes well-known entities such as Brookside Dairy Limited, Ndhiwa Sukari Industries Limited, Pearl Dairy Farm Limited, Kenya Tea Packers Limited, Mini Bakeries (NRB) Limited, and Mjengo Limited, among others.
In addition to the cleanup mandate, the companies are obligated to submit a report detailing their environmental restoration efforts.
“Each company is expected to do the following within 30 days of receipt of this environment restoration order: submit to NEMA the EPR plan for the management of waste emanating from their products and packaging for the Nairobi River catchment region,” emphasized the authority.
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Other flagged firms
Among the companies flagged by NEMA are Unilever Kenya Limited, Kapa Oil Refineries Limited, BAT Kenya, Yemken Trading Company Limited, Kilimambogo Millers Limited, Dawa Limited, UDV (Kenya) Limited, Meru Central Dairy Cooperative Union Limited, Softcare Kenya Company Limited, and Sunveat Foods Limited.
Fabrique Par; PromaSidor (Kenya) Limited, Bidcoro Africa Limited for Suntory Beverage & Food Kenya Limited, Weetabix East Africa Limited, Laboratory and Allied Limited, Beta Health Care, Mars Wringley Confectionery Kenya Limited, Global Mark Food Limited, Premier Food Limited and Gold Crown Beverages (Kenya) Limited were also listed.
Githunguri Dairy Farmers Cooperative Society, Kinangop Dairy Milk Limited, Kamili Packers Limited, and Kensalt Limited were additional entities flagged for their alleged contribution to the pollution of the Nairobi River.
