Besides good profits, manufacturers must fight back air pollution

There is strong consensus in Kenya and indeed across Africa that industrialization presents one of the clearest paths to prosperity. Industries are not only labour intensive, but also provide crucial linkages to important value chains, including key sectors such as agriculture, which accounts for close to 30 per cent of Kenya’s GDP.

We cannot absorb the more than 800,000 youths who join the labour market each year without strong industrial growth, making it imperative to accelerate the pace of industrialization.

It is therefore welcome news that the government is giving manufacturing its rightful place in the national development agenda. If some of the bottlenecks to growth in manufacturing are addressed, such as counterfeit goods, high cost of energy, market access and punitive taxes, the sector should be able to expand from the current 8.4 per cent of GDP to 15 per cent by 2022, in line with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Big 4 agenda.

Not just profits

But what does strong industrial growth mean for Kenya, besides jobs and prosperity? It means that, like manufacturers in other industrialized countries, Kenyan manufacturers will need to start thinking critically about their environmental impact.

Key global decision makers, including national governments and multilateral institutions such as the U.N., are actively exploring ways to leverage on clean renewable energy to power industrial growth. However, this will not be successful if private sector doesn’t step up to the challenge.

Thankfully, an increasing number of manufacturers are making bold commitments on renewable energy. Mars Incorporated, the global confectionery and pet food giant, is one of them.

Under our Sustainable in a Generation plan, we want to cut all fossil fuel energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from our operations by 2040. Our new $70 million (Sh7 billion) chewing gum factory in Athi River, for example, uses briquettes and biomass for critical energy needs, underlining our commitment to clean energy.

However, to fully transition to clean energy, industries need the right set of incentives and policies.

They also need policy makers who understand that there are other sources of air pollution and environmental degradation besides industrial players - otherwise manufacturers could be unfairly targeted with hawkish regulation.

The danger of dumpsites

In Kenya, for example, open burning of garbage is a lead cause of air pollution. This is particularly the case in Nairobi.  

According to data from Nairobi’s Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan 2010-2020, the city generates around 3000 tons of solid waste every day but only 400-600 tonnes finds its way to the Dandora dumpsite.

The rest is often burned or disposed in other irresponsible ways, making some parts of the city an eye sore, while leading to air pollution through open burning.

In light of this, it is not surprising that the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that the level of fine particulate matter in Nairobi’s outdoor air is 70 per cent above the recommended maximum level.

A good place to start in search of solutions to the garbage problem would be to harmonize waste collection and transportation. There are number of private waste collectors and transporters who have come in to complement government agencies. Allowing them to operate while providing critical government oversight would help harmonize waste collection and transportation and address air pollution caused by open burning.

Air pollution increases the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. This has clear economic impacts in terms of lost productivity when people fall ill as well as the associated health costs.

A case in point is a World Bank study indicating that air pollution cost Sub-Saharan Africa 3.8 per cent of GDP growth, or around $114 billion, in 2013.

Article 42 of the Constitution guarantees everyone a clean and healthy environment and in this spirit, the issue of air pollution needs to be taken seriously. This World Environment Day, whose theme centred on air pollution, is therefore a timely opportunity for Kenya, and especially manufacturers, to take stock of progress and renew its commitments towards ensuring a healthy environment for all.

Ms Mwangi is the Corporate Affairs Director at Mars Wrigley.  Wanja.mwangi@effem.com