NAIROBI, Kenya— The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has sounded the alarm over a resurgence of banned plastic bags in the Kenyan market, warning that illegal importation, manufacture, and sale of the materials is creeping back nearly a decade after the prohibition took effect.
In a public notice issued Tuesday, the regulator reminded Kenyans that plastic carrier and flat bags were outlawed in 2017 through Gazette Notice No. 2356, as part of sweeping efforts to curb pollution.
Despite the ban, NEMA said some traders are flouting the law, reintroducing plastic bags into circulation through black markets and unlicensed manufacturers.
The authority stressed that under recently gazetted Environmental Management and Coordination (Management and Control of Plastic Packaging Materials) Regulations, 2024, no individual or business may produce, import, export, possess, or sell plastic bags or films without its explicit authorization.
“All plastic packaging materials in use or offered for sale must carry the manufacturer’s and user’s contact details, alongside NEMA’s approval mark,” the notice read, underscoring the tighter controls introduced last year.
Plastic bags—defined under the regulations as products made from polymers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyethylene terephthalate—remain among the most stubborn environmental pollutants, often clogging drainage systems and posing risks to livestock and marine life.
The regulator further warned that violations will attract hefty sanctions. Offenders face fines ranging from Sh2 million to Sh4 million, jail terms of one to four years, or both, upon conviction.
“NEMA continues to carry out inspection and enforcement activities to ensure a clean, healthy, and safe environment for all,” the authority said, pledging stepped-up crackdowns on factories and businesses suspected of sneaking plastics back into circulation.
Kenya’s 2017 ban on plastic bags was hailed globally as one of the toughest anti-plastic measures, significantly reducing visible litter in urban areas.
However, enforcement gaps and the high demand for cheap packaging have fueled attempts by rogue traders to circumvent the law.
