Issue 543[Melb]

Young Kenyan girl who found overnight fame over social
media for her creativity of making a bag out of banana
leaves
"We can't use plastic bag anymore;
would you like to buy one of our baskets?" the
Chinese grocery shop-owner asked as she
handed the 2kg lettuce over the counter.
"No, that's fine." I said as I pulled out a
white plastic bag from my hand-bag.
"Oh no, that's illegal! You better hide this
plastic bag away. You could be fined $40,000
USD and locked up in jail! They might even
deport you if the police catch you. They have
been doing a lot of checking around here." she
warned me in the most serious manner.
Kenya has once again made the world
news headline this week for imposing the
toughest plastic bag ban in the world. In
order to reduce plastic pollution, any Kenyans
producing, selling or even using plastic bags
could face fines of up to $40,000 USD or risk
imprisonment of up to four years. Travelers
entering Kenya will be required to leave plastic
shopping bags at the airport.
Indeed, it will not be difficult for one to
notice piles of waste plastic bags across
Kenya. According to UN estimations, Kenyan
shoppers use more than 100 million plastic
bagsper year, which can take more than a
century to biodegrade. Livestock, such as
cattle and goat, often graze on street rubbish
causing plastic bags to also enter the human
food chain. In Nairobis slaughterhouses, as
many as 20 polythene bagsare discovered in
the stomachs of cows. Furthermore, plastic
bag creates great problems to solid waste
management clogging sewers and streams.
This recent plastic bag ban marks the third
Kenyan attempt at reducing plastic bag use.
Over-night, plastic bags have disappeared from
all Kenyan shops. Instead, vendors are using
cartons, old sacks, newspapers, envelops and
even strings. When alternative options are not
available, shoppers carry their goods with their
bare hands. Other creative Kenyan improvise
making bags out of dried plantain leaves. Whilst
protecting the environment is important, bag
manufacturers argue that the new law costed
more than 80,000 peoples job. Moreover,
in a country where policy bribery continues to
be a great challenge, the new law is perceived
by some to be greater opportunities for police
extortion.
Whilst there are pros and cons
in the
implementation of the Kenyan plastic bag
ban,
I will certainly not be the plastic-bag criminal inal
in
killing our beautiful environment!
nment!
55
Piles of waste plastic bags across
Kenya
ISSUE S 543
15.9.2017
Kibera slum in Nairobi