KENYA – To mark 2024 World Wetlands Day, the Kenya Extended Producer Responsibility Organization (KEPRO) in collaboration with the Mathare River Regeneration Network, Kenya Forest Services, Nairobi County Government, and the Nairobi River Commission among others conducted awareness sessions on sustainable waste management practices and clean-up exercises across different parts of the City.
The event under the theme “Wetlands and Human Wellbeing” served as a poignant reminder that the environment is a collective responsibility to safeguard, rather than a possession for anyone to harm, KEPRO explain in a LinkedIn post.
The collaboration of diverse stakeholders, including the Nairobi County Government, National Government officials, the Nairobi River Commission (NRC), Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), and other partners, underscored the shared commitment to the environment’s protection.
Their intentional efforts not only ensured the success of the event but also signaled a collective initiative to extend the project’s impact beyond the occasion.
The endeavor to reclaim what was once a “Place of Cool Waters” marks a significant stride in the right direction.
This is just one of the many sessions and initiatives the organization has undertaken in recent years to help educate masses in sustainable management of waste.
As a producer responsibility organization, KEPRO has been on the forefront in collecting and recycling non-hazardous waste across the country.
In collaboration with recyclers, the organization manages waste on behalf of member companies under the new regulations by the Kenyan government requiring all producers of packaging materials to take responsibility for the package entire lifecycle.
KEPRO is currently recruiting waste collectors and recyclers to join the organization for a collective in ensuring sustainable approach in managing waste.
In 2023, KEPRO recycled an impressive 9000 metric tonnes of polyethylene that would otherwise end up in landfills or aquatic environment.
According to the organization’s Chief Administrative Officer, James Odongo, this is only possible with close collaboration with key players in the sector.
In addition, the organization also invested about KES 5 million (US$31,152.65) in schools and local community across the country.
According to him waste management should be a collective initiative encompassing government, private sector and the public.
In another development, Baus Taka Enterprise aligned with the Department of Water, Natural Resources, Public Works, and Climate Change Resilience, led by Waziri Emily Ochieng, for a Mangrove Tree Planting Activity, marking World Wetlands Day in Jomvu, Allidina (Kwa nzai).
As a community, let us collaborate, exchange knowledge, and deploy innovative solutions to combat the emerging threats to these ecosystems, stated the startup in a LinkedIn post.
“Through concerted efforts, we can ensure the sustained flourishing of wetlands, offering indispensable services for present and forthcoming generations.”
Baus Taka recently converted shipping containers into centers for plastic waste sensitization and collection in coastal communities, educating and storing segregated plastic waste, thereby safeguarding both community health and the environment—on both land and sea.
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