NAIROBI — County governments have three weeks to implement new waste segregation rules or risk penalties, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has announced.
In a notice issued on Monday, NEMA directed all 47 counties to reorganise dumpsites, provide colour-coded bins, and ensure only segregated waste is transported, in line with the Sustainable Waste Management Act, 2022. Failure to comply could attract fines, imprisonment, or both.
“Take notice that all county governments are required and are hereby directed to, within 21 days, accelerate the transition towards a circular economy in waste management,” NEMA Director General Mamo Mamo said.
The Sustainable Waste Management Regulations, 2024, require households and businesses to separate waste at source: green bins for organic waste, black for general waste, and blue for recyclables. Waste service providers are mandated to collect and transport only segregated waste.
Individuals who fail to comply risk fines of up to Sh20,000 or six months in jail, while service providers could face penalties of Sh50,000 or imprisonment.
NEMA has previously issued compliance notices in December 2024 and June 2025, urging counties to redesign dumpsites to accommodate separate reception areas for organic, recyclable, residual, and unrecoverable waste.
The circular economy framework under the Act aims to drastically cut landfill use, with a target of converting 60 per cent of waste into manure, recycling 30 per cent, incinerating five per cent, and limiting landfill disposal to five per cent.
Manufacturers are also required to take responsibility for the entire lifecycle of their products through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
This applies to plastics, batteries, electronics, tyres, pharmaceuticals, paints, and agricultural chemicals.
“Segregating waste makes sorting, recycling, reusing, and reducing waste easier. Much less goes into landfills,” Mamo said, adding that counties must also enact supporting legislation in consultation with the public and the national government.
NEMA warned that it may invoke enforcement provisions under the Act if counties fail to comply, stressing its commitment to a clean and sustainable environment.
