A Nakuru lobby group has started a nationwide photo campaign seeking to ban plastics bags of below 100 microns in Kenya.
The campaign which goes by the twitter hashtag #IsupportBanPlasticsKE seeks to use photos of more than 10,000 Kenyans holding a banner with the hashtag.
It is spearheaded by photojournalist James Waikibia who hopes to reach the targeted photos in the next 30 days.
“Plastic bags do not decompose and they end up clogging the drainage and choking the system leading to an environmental menace,” he said in an Interview on Thursday
Waikibia also seeks to have supermarkets in the country charge customers for carrying plastic bags.
“Supermarkets produce at least 100 million plastic bags in a year which end up choking our environment as they are poorly disposed. We seek to have them introduce reusable bags and encourage kiondos and other traditional bags,” he added.
Waikibia pointed out that the government should make it expensive to produce light paper bags.
“Currently it is easier to produce new ones than to recycle the bags and thats why they are flying everywhere,” he added.
Waikibia pointed out that the bags contribute to the carbon emissions in the country and hence increase pollution.
“A recent article indicated that 24 tonnes of plastic was collected on the shores of Lake Nakuru which is an environmental disaster,” he added
Waikibia pointed out that the report indicated that the Lake would be too toxic for aquatic life.
Recently, Environment Cabinet Secretary Judy Wakhungu expressed her support for the project.
In a tweet, the CS cited that National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) and her ministry were already working towards banning the bags.