Business Daily (Nairobi)
Jim Onyango
5 May 2008
Nairobi residents who use thin plastic bags will have to pay a fine of Sh2,000 or be sentenced to a jail term of not less than six months from next month.
The City Council which passed a by-law prohibiting the use of polythene bags of less than 30 microns thickness, is now set to implement the ban.
City Hall announced yesterday it would start monitoring compliance with the city by-laws from the beginning of next month.
The ban was approved by the ministry of local government in July 2007 but enforcement was delayed to give manufacturers time to clear out stock of the thinner polythene bags, City Hall said yesterday.
"The various stakeholders involved in the manufacturing, sale and use of the polythene bags had ample time to exhaust their undesired stock," Mr Benjamin Njenga, the council's acting director of the environment said.
The measures aim at eradicating plastic bags which, according to Njenga, have caused environmental problems.
The by-law is also in line with last year's Budget, which advised manufacturers to start the production of 30 micron polythene films by January this year.
In his Budget speech, Finance minister Amos Kimunya, slapped a 120 per cent excise duty on plastics, saying it was aimed at protecting the environment from further degradation. He also banned the use of plastic bags of less than 30 microns thickness to encourage industry players to device environmentally friendly bags.
Plastic manufacturers have complained about the punitive tax requirement, saying that it was hurting the industry. Two companies have said they are relocating to Dubai and Ethiopia to escape the stringent measures.
The city by-law which was gazetted a month later, prohibits shoppers from using plastic bags. The law also prohibits vendors from using the bags in packing the commodities they sell in.
Most Kenyans shoppers use plastic bags to carry goods. Grocers use it to pack fruits, tomatoes and vegetables. Plastic polythene is also used to package milk, sugar and bread.
Some commodity prices have already gone up as manufacturers pass production costs to consumers.
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