The National Environmental Authority in Kenya (NEMA) has arrested six individuals in a crackdown on illegal dumpsites in Nairobi.
At the same time, several lorries were impounded, and drivers operating without valid NEMA transport licenses were arrested.
“NEMA in collaboration with Nairobi City County launched a major crackdown on illegal dumpsites in Industrial Area, Nairobi,” the authority said.
“6 individuals involved in illegal dumping activities were arrested, several lorries impounded and drivers operating without valid NEMA transport licenses were also arrested.
NEMA said the joint inspection underscores its commitment to keep the environment clean and hold offenders accountable.
Members of the public have been urged to dispose of waste responsibly and ensure they follow environmental regulations while waste handlers have been advised to dispose of their waste in designated and licensed dumping sites and obtain NEMA transport licences.
This comes after NEMA in August outlined the national color-coding scheme for waste segregation aimed at managing different types of garbage.
In the effect, the authority directed that organic waste to be disposed in green bags, recyclable waste in blue bags while and black bags shall be used for disposal of general waste.
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NEMA Bans Plastic Garbage Bags
The authority had in April banned the use of plastic garbage bags in Kenya saying that the prohibition was in compliance with section 12 of the Sustainable Waste Management Act, 2022 which requires that all public and private sector entities segregate non-hazardous waste into organic and non-organic fractions.
NEMA said the government (through the Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources) in 2017 vide Gazette notice Nos. 2334 & 2356 banned the manufacture, importation and use of plastic carrier bags and flat bags used for commercial and household packaging.
The authority mentioned that the waste collected in biodegradable bags shall be collected separately (not mixed with other waste types) and transported to a designated Material Recovery Facility for further processing.
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It announced that within the period listed, use of conventional plastic bags/ bin liners for collection of organic waste shall thus cease forthwith.
Furthermore, the authority urged that County Governments and private waste service providers licensed by NEMA to provide to their clients the 100% biodegradable garbage bags/ bin liners only.
All homeowners and households were directed to properly label their bins, containers and bags of their segregated waste and waste service providers to collect, handle and transport segregated waste.
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