Phasing out plastics is a big leap for Kenya

This week, Kenya took a significant step in the fight against plastic pollution by committing to eliminate production and use of harmful plastics in 15 years, joining a growing list of countries with the same ambition.

Plastic pollution is a planetary crisis that degrades our ecosystems, harm our livestock, wildlife and threaten human health at alarming rates. Since the plastic treaty negotiations began in 2022, nearly 20 million metric tonnes of plastic have entered our oceans where they choke fish and marine life.

In Kenya, and other countries, we have seen firsthand the devastating impact of plastic pollution on our ecosystems, coastal communities, and biodiversity. Domestic and wildlife often fall victim to ingestion or entanglement, while the entire ecosystems suffer from plastic contamination. Inevitably, plastic pollution is not just an environmental issue, but a pressing social and human health crisis that demands urgent national and global action. As we approach the fifth and final session of the intergovernmental negotiations on the global treaty to end plastic pollution (INC-5), the urgency for decisive action has never been more apparent.

Kenya’s decision to join the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution – as the movement is known – not only once again reaffirms Kenya’s leadership in environmental conservation but also highlights our resolve to be part of the solution in the globe.

In 2017, Kenya made a bold step by implementing one of the strictest bans on single-use plastic bags, a move that has inspired similar actions across the continent and the world. The passing of the Waste Management Policy and law and the draft Extended Producer Responsibility regulations are major steps by the government.

As a country, we are now building on that legacy by championing a global treaty that ensures a comprehensive and circular approach to tackling plastic pollution – from production to disposal offering an unparalleled opportunity to safeguard our environment for future generations.

But even as we hail this new development, at the core of the plastic treaty must be binding global obligations that tackle plastic pollution across its entire lifecycle—from production to disposal. This includes provisions to ban and phase out the most harmful plastic products and chemicals of concern.

Such actions must target single-use plastics, which contribute to 60 per cent of global plastic production and 70 per cent of ocean pollution. The treaty should also establish global lists of plastic products and chemicals of concern that can be eliminated according to specified timelines, starting with an initial list of products that pose the greatest threat to health and environment. It is also noteworthy that plastic pollution cannot be solved unless we change the way products are designed, produced, and used. A circular economy, where plastics are designed for reuse and recyclability, must therefore be the ultimate goal. The private sector has a critical role to play, and the treaty must provide clear guidelines and incentives for businesses to align their innovation strategies with circular economy principles.

To ensure the treaty remains effective, it must include mechanisms for tracking progress, reviewing measures, and making necessary amendments. The plastic pollution crisis will evolve, and so must our response. Data collection, transparent reporting, and expert recommendations based on emerging scientific evidence are essential to the treaty’s long-term success.

At WWF-Kenya, we are confident that this treaty lays foundation for a future where plastic pollution no longer threatens the ecosystems and the health of our planet and humanity. We, therefore, call on Kenya government and world leaders to commit to this treaty.

Failing to secure an effective treaty now could result in devastating environmental, social and economic consequences.

-The writer is CEO, World Wide Fund for Nature-Kenya (WWF-K)