A ban that severely punishes the import, manufacturing, or selling of single-use plastic bags with either 4 years in jail or a $38,000 fine has been approved in Kenya.
The ban approval follows 10 years of debate and delay, and now authorities in Kenya are currently enforcing the legislation amongst retailers and manufacturers however, citizens will be given more time to adjust.
If a shopper is seen carrying a plastic bag, they will be given a warning and have their bags taken away. Several stores have already begun offering fabric bags for ¢10 apiece. Since Kenya is one of the biggest exporters of plastic bags – reportedly consuming over 24 million bags per years – the legislation was rejected several times before it was approved last week.
The country is now one of forty other countries that have taken action against single-use plastic bags, such as China and Rwanda.
