Kenya’s transition to a circular economy must be all-inclusive
The circular economy idea is premised on three key principles namely, waste reduction and pollution control products and materials circulation and nature regeneration.
The gazettement early this month of the much-awaited Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations effectively allows for the implementation of the Sustainable Waste Management Act 2022.
The Act promises to be a game changer as far as accelerating Kenya’s realisation of a circular economy is concerned. According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, “circular economy is a system where materials never become waste and nature is regenerated”.
The circular economy idea is premised on three key principles namely, waste reduction and pollution control products and materials circulation (at their highest value) and nature regeneration.
Kenya’s quest towards the realisation of a circular economy gained traction in 2016 following the ban of single-use plastic carrier bags in 2017.
A blueprint in the form of the Kenya Plastic Action Plan in 2019 paved the way not only for the introduction of product stewardship programmes, emphasising the need for every Kenyan to be an environmental steward.
It is expected that EPR regulations will ensure that producers and manufacturers of products in Kenya will be held to account for the environmental impacts of their products throughout their life cycle.
But we must be cognizant that EPR cannot work in isolation and is not in any way the ‘holy grail’ to Kenya’s environmental problems.
Notably, pronouncements that insinuate that certain sections of the society pollute the environment more than others potentially expose the underbelly of what ails the country’s pursuit of a clean and healthy environment. Section 69 (2) of the Constitution says that all citizens have the duty to cooperate with State organs and other entities to protect and conserve the environment.
The Sustainable Waste Management Act 2022, the Environmental Management and Coordination Act 1999 as well as the County Governments’ Act 2012 outline a series of obligations to among others, county governments, consumers and the National Environment Management Authority (Nema).
It would therefore be foolhardy to profile a certain group of individuals, institutions or companies as bearing the largest responsibility for the environment.
In the famous words of renowned author Robert Swan, “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.” Every citizen and institution in Kenya must take equal responsibility for our environment.
The writer is CEO of Kenya Extended Producer Responsibility Organisation (Kepro)
