KEPSA and WRAP join forces to combat plastic pollution in Kenya

KENYA – The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) has forged a partnership with the Waste and Resources Action Program (WRAP), a climate action non-governmental organization, to combat plastic pollution in Kenya.

Carole Kariuki, the Chief Executive Officer of KEPSA, asserted that this collaboration aims to enhance the adoption of innovative solutions for sustainable development, thereby fostering enduring environmental benefits.

“WRAP has been a crucial strategic ally to KEPSA since 2020, and we are thrilled to expand our collaboration to actively address the urgent issue of plastic pollution in Kenya,” remarked Kariuki.

She affirmed the private sector’s commitment to curbing the production of unsustainable plastic packaging within the local market.

Additionally, Kariuki emphasized the imperative of accelerating sustainable production and consumption practices through the redesigning of packaging, which in turn will promote sustainable waste management strategies.

Harriet Lamb, CEO of WRAP, underscored the bolstered partnership’s objective to bolster endeavors aimed at combating waste pollution through sustainable and inclusive business practices.

“Plastic pollution is a global challenge necessitating collective action and collaboration. We are eager to explore further avenues of collaboration with Sustainable Inclusive Business under KEPSA and bolster their initiatives to combat waste pollution in Kenya,” Lamb affirmed.

WRAP, in collaboration with partners such as the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, leads the Plastics Pact Network, a globally aligned initiative responding to plastic waste and pollution based on the New Plastics Economy vision for a circular economy for plastic.

The Plastics Pact Network serves as a unique platform for sharing insights and best practices with other nations and regions, expediting the global transition to a circular economy for plastics, with the Kenya Plastics Pact (KPP) spearheading activities in Kenya.

The Kenya Plastics Pact aims to facilitate concerted action towards establishing a circular economy for plastic packaging.

All stakeholders commit to a collective set of ambitious and time-bound targets, ensuring that this collaboration drives substantial change by 2030.

This ambitious vision will be realized through the collective implementation of a clearly defined roadmap to 2030, as well as the co-design and execution of innovative and collaborative projects nationwide.

Last year, Kenya Sustainable Inclusive Business (SIB-K), a division of KEPSA, partnered with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to promote compliance with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations in Kenya through a Private Sector Sensitization Workshop. Supported by USAID and Prosper Africa, the workshop aimed to raise awareness and facilitate dialogue between businesses and NEMA, with a focus on the initial phase of EPR implementation: data collection and environmental cleanup.

EPR, a concept recognized globally, mandates that producers and manufacturers manage the entire lifecycle of their products, including disposal, thus adhering to the polluter-pays principle.

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