Kenyans urged to recycle waste for clean environment

By Dennis Dibondo

Kenya Extended Producer Responsibility Organisation (KEPRO) has urged Kenyans to utilize waste to clean the environment.

Isiah Mumo operations officer at Kenya Extended Producer Responsibility said they are doing training to Kenyans to be able to separate post producer waste so that it can be recycled.

He said for country to have to effectively manage waste various waste ought to be separated by designating various dust bins to ensure each waste is dumped in the right place where those that can be recycled go through the chain.

"We are doing a training for county officials and residents from eight counties on how to manage waste," Mumo said.

Mumo said so far, they have visited six regions across the country and sensitized Kenyans about waste management.

"We have gone to various counties to try and train Kenyans on how they can handle their waste to utilize it and at the same time clean the environment we have a slogan 'my waste my responsibility' Mumo said.

He said the trainings and sensitisation involves NEMA officials,manufacturers,county officials.

"We are also going to train waste management operators to undergo a circular economy," Mumo said.

He said the county has heaps of unattended waste because of lack of proper awareness.

KEPRO Operations Manager Isaiah Mumo addressing press, Wednesday. 

"Most Kenyans do not know how they can manage waste beyond collection that why we want to conduct trainings to link Kenyans to waste managers to close the gap between what we are manufacturing and what we are recycling," Mumo said. 

Mumo said currently there is Sustainable Waste Management Act of 2022 that has been signed into law.

"In the Act Section 13 talks about extended producer responsibility this ensures that all companies and manufacturers take responsibility for waste of their products," Mumo said.

Meru Municipality manager Gitobu Nkanata said the initiatives by Kenya Extended Producer Responsibility because they use a lot of resources to clear waste around Meru town.

"According to United Nations by 2050 we are going to have over 4 Billion people living in town across the world so we must be ready to deal with waste to avoid polluted environment," Nkanata said.