Meru County Assembly wants county govt to ban use of plastic bags

The Meru County Assembly wants the county government to ban the sale and use of plastic bags to curb environmental degradation.

In a motion moved by Ntunene Ward representative Geoffrey Maore, the county government has been asked to come up with measures to deal with littering of plastic bags within towns in the county.

Mr Maore cited the recent flooding in Nairobi whose cause was attributed to blockage of drainage pipes by plastic waste hence the need to avert the same in other urban areas.

He said there was need for the department of Water, Environment and Natural Resources to come up with a bill to address the plastic waste menace.

“Failure to conserve the environment has led to global warming that the world is currently grappling with.

“Meru is an agricultural county which cannot afford to wait until we are faced with the plastic waste crisis.

“I urge the county government to move with speed and ban the use and sale of non-biodegradable polythene bags within Meru,” Mr Maore said.

The members of the county assembly called for the devolution of National Environment Management Authority (Nema) to enhance protection of the environment.

USE DEGRADABLE BAGS

Ms Makena Morogocho said the county government should revert to the use of degradable bags and baskets to avoid pollution.

“There is need for a well-defined waste management system to enable sorting of waste to avert (reckless) dumping.

“If our waste is well managed we can create jobs through recycling plants and energy production,” Ms Morogocho said.

Municipality Ward MCA Kiome Rimbere said continued use and uncontrolled disposal of plastic bags in the county will soon weigh down on the economy.

The county government was also urged to create an enabling environment for the production of recyclable bags.

Recently, Nema announced plans to enforce the provision to have dustbins in matatus and buses to avert blocking of drainage systems by plastic waste.

The Kenya Forest Service and Kenya Wildlife Service officers have raised concern over dumping of plastic waste in Imenti Forest that borders Meru Town.

Meru ecosystem conservator Evans Maneno told the Nation that his officers are on high alert after discovery of an illegal dumpsite in the forest.

Meru KWS Deputy Warden Jimnah Partet said they have been grappling with dumping of waste in the forest for many years.

Mr Partet said the illegal dumping is done at night by individuals using hand carts hired by estate managers in Meru Town.

He said dumping of waste is common along the Meru-Nanyuki road and link roads that pass through the forest.