NEMA ISSUES FRESH WARNING ON PLASTIC BAN, THREATENS FINES OF UP TO KSH4 MILLION

The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has issued a stern warning over the illegal use, manufacture and importation of plastic bags, vowing to intensify enforcement of Kenya’s 2017 plastic ban.
In a statement, the agency cited rising cases of non-compliance despite the long-standing ban and the Environmental Management and Co-ordination (Management and Control of Plastic Packaging Materials) Regulations, 2024, which provide stricter controls on plastic packaging.
Individuals or businesses found flouting the law risk fines ranging between KSh2 million and KSh4 million, imprisonment for one to four years, or both. NEMA stressed that only plastic packaging with its manufacturer’s and user’s names and contacts — and officially authorised by the agency — may be used legally.
The regulator vowed countrywide inspections to curb the resurgence of banned plastics, warning that offenders will face the full force of the law.