OPINION: Phasing out most harmful plastic products and chemicals of concern will be a big leap for Kenya

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

Plastic pollution is a planetary crisis that continues to degrade our ecosystems, harm our livestock, wildlife, and threaten human health across the globe 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 our fish and marine life. 

In Kenya, as in many 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 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 nation’s resolve to be part of the solution in setting a global standard when it matters most for both people and the planet.

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 and noteworthy steps by the Government of Kenya.

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% of global plastic production and 70% 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 human health and the environment, and that many countries have already instituted a ban where there is no need for alternatives, or alternatives are already widely accessible.

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.

Harmonized global standards on plastic product design are essential for ensuring that plastics can be safely reused and recycled. Kenya’s successful ban on plastic bags in 2017 serves as a positive example, but it is just a starting point. 

Moreover, global alignment and guidelines on reuse systems, extended producer responsibility and recycling systems will make it easier for countries like ours to transition away from single-use plastics towards reuse, sustainable alternatives and improved waste management capacity.

Beverage bottles, food containers, and other high-consumption products should be prioritized for redesign to reduce their likelihood of becoming pollution. A circular economy will not only reduce the demand for virgin plastic but also lower pollution rates. However, this shift requires robust systems to support recycling and reuse.

The private sector has a critical role to play here, 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 over time, 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 the foundation for a future where plastic pollution no longer threatens the ecosystems and the health of our planet and humanity. We, therefore, call on the Government of Kenya and the world leaders to commit to this global treaty that will see the implementation of these recommendations. Failing to secure an effective treaty now could result in devastating environmental, social, and economic consequences. 

Mohamed Awer is the Chief Executive Officer of the World Wide Fund for Nature-Kenya (WWF-Kenya).