Busia residents have been asked to conserve the environment by using appropriate ways of disposing of used plastics.
Speaking during the commemoration of World Environment Day at the Busia Vocational Training Centre, the County Director of National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), Cliff Barkatch, said handling the plastic pollution in the environment requires a commitment of every individual.
“When plastic turns to waste, it ends up in water we drink, food we eat and air that we breathe. This means that they enter our bodies. Addressing the plastic pollution cannot be done by an individual and rather should be a cooperative effort from all stakeholders, including government institutions and community efforts,“ he said.
Barkatch warned those using banned plastic bags, stating that they will face the rule of law, adding that his team will continue with impromptu crackdowns against the illegal use of such bags.
“We have 5 people who are in Busia law court after we arrested them with plastic bags at Bumala. This will continue until we ensure there is no use of these bags. The challenge has remained the porous borders in our county. This has led to easy accessibility of these banned bags by Kenyans who bring them from Uganda through these routes.”
He further said that there is a need to use the alternative methods of packaging. The methods include using cotton bags, sisal bags, baskets made from bamboo and other natural products.
Busia County Director of Water and Environment Kelly Wafula called for the combined efforts to ensure plastic pollution has been controlled.
“We all use plastics but it all starts with an individual determination to end the plastic pollution. We should avoid using plastic or use alternative ways to end the spread of plastic everywhere. We should consider reusing, recycling or incinerating if you cannot avoid the plastic. Let’s dispose of these plastics in a responsible manner.
Wafula added that as the County Government they have experienced challenges when trying to solve issues of drainage in the county due to many plastics in the drainage system.
“The waterways in our county have been filled by plastics and this has been a challenge when it is raining. This has been causing floods everywhere because of the blockage of waterways and even sewer lines. The aquatic life is also at risk due to the pollution in rivers that leads to the death of many living creatures in that ecosystem.
He called on all stakeholders to work together to ensure they sensitise the business community to avoid the use of the banned plastic bags.
“All traders in this County should be responsible for ensuring all the plastic bags have been collected and disposed of in an appropriate way to take care of our County. Those of us who are living today have the responsibility to ensure that we take care of our environment.
Busia County National Authority for Campaign Against Drug Abuse (NACADA) Coordinator Zeka Wekesa stressed the need for ensuring that the plastic pollution has been handled.
“We are dealing with drug control but many times we have seen those people who are abusing drugs disposing of those plastic bottles and bags everywhere.
That is a risk to our environment. We are calling for conservation of the environment at the same time for people to avoid the abuse of the drug so that we can have a healthy nation,’ he said.
Busia County Linda Mazingira Coordinator Partick Ikwara urged the government agencies to ensure full implementation of the existing policies.
“We have many policies that are in existence but the challenge remains the implementations. Some of them will solve the existing problems when fully implemented and that’s why we are asking all the government agencies to ensure that has been done.”
Ikwara also said that there should be a dialogue between the business community and the government to address the issue of plastic bags, stating that despite the ban, many of them are still involved in the pollution of the environment.
The celebration, which had a theme of ‘Ending plastic pollution’, involved market cleaning at Busia town by the students from different institutions, stakeholders and the members of the public in Busia town.
By Rodgers Omondi
