NAIROBI, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's environmental watchdog announced Sunday it plans to introduce a levy against importers of commodities that are packaged with plastics.
Geoffrey Wahungu, the Director General of National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), said that studies have identified plastic bags as major cause of eyesore.
"We plan to surcharge the importers due to their failure to trace and collect the polythene once they have emptied the contents," Wahungu said at a forum on saving oceans from plastic pollutions at the ongoing third United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) Conference in Nairobi.
Kenya enforced the historic plastic ban on Aug. 28 earning the East African nation an enviable position in green stewardship in the world.
The manufacturing sector was initially opposed to the plastic ban, terming it a threat to job creation and income generation.
The ban targeted carrier bags with handles, with or without gussets, or flat bags without handles and with or without gussets. Offenders might face up to 40,000 U.S. dollar fine or imprisonment.
Wahungu said that the government is taking stock of all dump sites where plastic bags have been kept over the years with the aim of eradicating it.
According to Wahungu, flat poly bags are the most affordable, are a simple, easy way to protect any items and most common way to package products.
He noted that the government plans to monitor the entry and use of the ban polythene bags after the ongoing mopping operation that will ascertain the effects of the ban.
Wahungu noted that the response from the consumers has been positive even though the introduction of the alternatives is slowly shaping up.
"We are working in collaboration with small scale entrepreneurs including youth groups and the physically challenged persons with the aim of producing the alternative bags," he revealed.
Wahungu attributed the successful enforcement of the plastic ban to support from the government and also the consumers.
