Environment Cabinet Secretary Judi Wakhungu has launched an initiative on solid waste management of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).
This initiative will see among other things, matatus refitted with bins within which to dispose their waste at bus termini and it's also aimed at spurring a reduction in the quantity of polythene carrier bags at the retail level in the next 100 days.
“My ministry has noted with a lot of concern the continued environmental degradation in our cities, towns and upcoming urban centres due to rapid development of informal settlements, poor solid waste practices, noise pollution, air pollution, lack of a non-adherence to zoning policies and waste management regulations,” Wakhungu said at the launch.
Wakhungu also noted that Nema will oversee the hiring of 500 environment officers to guard against illegal dumping and other environmental pollutants.
She said that compliance in PSVs and private vehicles, supermarket chains SMEs and in hot spot areas within the country will be monitored through joint collaboration between Nema, NTSA, the county governments, Kenya Police Service and media at night and during the day.
Principal Secretary for Environment Charles Sunkuli who was also at the event garbage trucks would soon be required to sport a uniform color that can be identified so that should you see a truck depositing waste in the wrong place you can actually call Nema and they will be arrested.
In future, Wakhungu says the plan is to see the National Solid Waste Management Strategy result in 80 percent waste recovery and 20 percent landfilling in a sanitary landfill by 2030.
Meanwhile, President Uhuru Kenyatta is also expected to launch a National Solid Waste Management Strategy.