Most of the meat eaten in Nairobi has high levels of toxins, according to a survey on slaughterhouses.
This is because livestock eat plastics. The study found that three out of five cows slaughtered in one abattoir had eaten plastic bags.
Speaking recently at the United Nations office in Nairobi, a researcher at the International Livestock Research Institute, Maurice Karani, said plastic bags are a big concern that must be addressed.
At another abattoir, two out of five animals slaughtered had the bags still in their rumen.
The survey also reveals that an estimated 60 per cent of the meat consumed in Kenya could be contaminated.
Plastic bags
"For every 10 cows slaughtered in Kakamega, three to four were found to have ingested plastic bags," Dr Karani told a consultative forum on the banning of plastic bags in Kenya.
He blamed the problem on poor disposal of plastics and waste management practices. He said this affects cattle more than sheep and goats.
"The solution would be to completely ban plastics and ensure supervised grazing to stop animals eating plastic bags" he said.
However, he added that the survey was not a comprehensive study but anecdotal evidence.