Makueni: Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr has announced a ban on single-use plastics in all county offices and at official functions in an effort to combat plastic pollution in the area. He was speaking during the World Environment Day celebrations held at Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) – Wote Campus, where he noted that this was part of the strategies by the government to eradicate the use of plastics. ‘Enough is enough! We must act now before plastics choke the life out of us,’ warned Mutula while reading his speech during the event.

According to Kenya News Agency, plastic waste is a major pollutant that has become an eyesore, clogging drainage systems and impacting negatively on the environment, as noted by Governor Mutula. The governor highlighted that Wote Municipality generates 20 metric tonnes of waste daily, with 25 per cent attributed to plastics. To address this issue, the government will construct a Material Recovery Facility at a cost of Sh. 180 million to tackle the menace. ‘To tackle this challenge in the long term, the government has unveiled plans to construct an MRF that will enhance waste segregation, recycling and reuse. This will also create employment for the youths,’ the governor said.

The event emphasized this year’s theme: ‘Ending Plastics Pollution’. During the event, Mutula launched the County Forest Landscape Restoration Plan, developed in partnership with the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF). The plan will guide the implementation of nature-based solutions to restore degraded landscape areas in Makueni County.

Speaking at the same function, National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) Makueni Director Vincent Oloo Ochieng stated that the government has put in place laws to help in combating the plastic menace. While saying plastics kill animals and destroy the environment, Ochieng called for concerted efforts from stakeholders in eradicating plastic to save our environment that has been degraded.