KAM, CGK partner to manage post-consumer plastic waste in Kenya

CGK intends to be a Producer Responsibility Organisation promoting waste management

Thursday, 19th December 2019, Nairobi. Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) has partnered with Clever Green Kenya (CGK) to manage post-consumer plastic waste in the country through the formation and management of a Producer Responsibility Organisation.

The Producer Responsibility Organization shall setup Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes for the benefit of KAM Members and other plastic users, as per the recommendations of the Kenya Plastics Action Plan launched in December 2019.

The Action Plan is a private sector-led policy and action plan aimed at enabling a circular economy for environmentally sustainable use and recycling of plastics in Kenya. It identifies the specific actions that the public and private sector should undertake to achieve this including waste management at county level, formation and regulation of EPR schemes and establishment of recycling value chains and standards.

Speaking at the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony, KAM Vice-Chair and PET Sub-sector Chair, Mr Mucai Kunyiha noted that the role of the manufacturing sector in circular economy rests in sustainable waste management and EPR Schemes. Circular economy aims to eradicate waste—not just from manufacturing processes, as lean management aspires to do, but systematically, throughout the life cycles and uses of products and their components.

“A huge opportunity remains in the development of a waste management and recycling industry in Kenya that would contribute to the Big 4 Agenda. This would lead to a Circular Economy where environmental and economic concerns converge for the good of all.

Environmental conservation remains an objective for us all and plastics recycling has the potential to change our economic wellbeing. Our ambition is for the recycling value chain to be clearly defined and the necessary policies to be established and implemented to achieve our desired recycling goals of up to 70% of all plastics collected and recycled by 2020. We seek to realize this partly through this partnership,” added Mr Mucai.

Speaking on behalf of CGK, Mr Hasit Patel noted that CGK seeks to develop a sustainable waste management ecosystem by creating a platform on which waste management stakeholders can interact.

“This model will enable manufacturers/producers and users/converters in the packaging industry to fulfil their EPR obligation. Its operation will target manufacturers to pay an annual membership fee and monthly EPR fees to support waste collection, sorting recycling, public awareness and education. EPR fees will be used to collect, sort and recycle waste.

CGK will collaborate with public and private sector institutions to realise a circular economy through sustainable waste management that will contribute to social, environmental and economic transformation in Kenya. CGK’s long term vision is to offer practical solutions to tackle all plastic waste which can be recycled in Kenya,” remarked Mr Patel.

Through this partnership, the two organizations seek to explore the possibility for support and collaboration in public and government engagement activities, collaborate in conducting education, awareness and capacity building activities on the EPR schemes and the management of post-consumer plastic waste, and engage in research and advocacy on plastic waste management in Kenya.