by Bedah Mengo
NAIROBI, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- As the clock ticks towards Aug. 28, the day when use of plastic bags would officially cease in Kenya, the East African nation is offering its citizens alternatives.
Kenya's Ministry of Environment announced the ban on the manufacture and use of plastic bags in March to protect the environment.
Plastic bags have been part and parcel of the lives of Kenyans, with citizens using them during shopping, to pack food items like milk and fruits, in building and construction and even boys use them to make footballs.
Therefore, forcing Kenyans to abandon the plastics remains a great challenge despite the heavy penalties of between 19,417 U.S. dollars and 38,834 dollars, a jail term of between one and two years, or both, the ban proposes.
But the government is keen to use persuasion rather than force as it appeals to Kenyans to start using various alternatives that include paper bags, clothing bags, canvas bags, sisal bags, papyrus bags and is also asking people to carry their own bags when going for shopping.
"Are you ready? The ban takes effect on Aug. 28. No plastic bags in Kenya. Retailers are allowed to provide paper bags as an alternative to plastic bags," said the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) in a notice Tuesday.
The environment ministry has further organized an exhibition starting Aug. 24 to 26 showcasing to Kenyans the alternatives they can use in place of plastic bags.
"To avoid plastic bags, invest in reusable containers, look for alternative packing materials, use paper, steel or bamboo straws, buy unpackaged food, use degradable or reusable shopping bags made from starch, corn or potatoes," urged Nema, as it observed the existing plastic carrier bags will be termed as waste after Aug. 28, therefore, one is supposed to dispose them.
And Kenyans are heeding to the calls to ban plastic, with a good number already carrying canvas bags to supermarkets for shopping.
"For the past two weeks, I have been carrying my canvas bag for shopping. I have several and have been keeping them but never cared to use them because I would be offered plastic bags by supermarkets but right now my handbag does not miss one canvas bag," said insurance agent Caroline Syombua on Tuesday.
Fruits vendor Simon Kariuki, on the other hand, said he no longer packs his sliced fruits that go from 0.09 dollars for customers in plastic bags.
"What I have done is that I have water here which customers use it to wash their hands and hold the fruit and eat. People are getting used to it," he said, noting initially customers would pick the fruit, eat and throw away the plastic bag.
However, not all plastic bags have been banned in Kenya. Plastic bags used for industrial primary packaging where the product is in direct contact with the plastic and is done at the source have been exempted from the sanctions.
Also exempted are plastic bags used for waste disposal that include medical waste and chemicals, and waste liners.
"Hazardous waste liners are exempted so long as they are legibly and permanently labelled and color-coded and are incinerated together with the waste. Garbage liners are also exempted on condition that they are not dumped together with the waste but will be emptied and reused or recycled by the licensed waste collector and transporter," said Nema said in the notice.
Duty free shops at airports in the East African nation will also not be affected by the ban, according to the authority.
"The ban applies to the use, manufacture and importation of the banned plastics within Kenya. Since duty free shops at airports are considered to be outside the Kenyan territory, bags used at this point are not affected by the ban. However, any traveller coming into Kenya with duty free bags shall be required to leave the same at the entry points," NEMA added.
