The government has implemented a ban on the use of plastic garbage bags and garbage bin liners.
On Monday, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) announced that all organic waste from households, institutions, and events must be segregated and placed in fully biodegradable garbage bags or bin liners only.
NEMA specified that the waste would be collected separately from other waste types and transported to material recovery facilities for further processing.
“The use of conventional plastic bags/ bin liners for the collection of organic waste shall thus cease forthwith,” NEMA said in a public notice.
Further, all homeowners and households were directed to properly label their bins, containers, and bags containing segregated waste.
County governments and private waste service providers have been assigned the responsibility of supplying their clients with biodegradable garbage bags and bin liners.
NEMA stated that the directive should be enforced within 90 days from the notice date of April 8.
The Authority reiterated that the 2017 ban on plastic carrier bags and flat bags includes garbage bags and bin liners.
The ban carries penalties of up to a four-year jail term or a fine of Kes.4 million for offenders.
