Traders in Nyandarua Markets have joined hands with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to ensure that the outlawed plastic carrier bags were not used in the County.
The traders have enacted tough market rules and guidelines to govern their operations in a bid to curb proliferation of the carrier bags and keep the County free of the litter.
A spot- check at the markets in Ol-Kalau and Kasuku by NEMA on Wednesday revealed a total compliance to the regulation despite information pointing at encroachment of the outlawed bags at the markets.
“Anyone found with these bags will be banned from using our markets or be reported to NEMA for prosecution as he or she will be giving a bad impression of our market as non-compliant,” Ol-Kalou town market Chairperson, Jackson Njuguna said.
The Chairperson noted that the move was aimed at protecting the market from a bad impression of non-compliance to enacted laws while keeping the market’s high standards of cleanliness.
The traders who have resorted to using nets and biodegradable carrier bags lauded the ban, saying it had also reduced the number of livestock that succumbed to intestinal blockages as a result of them feeding on the plastic bags.
“The nets have helped in the preservation of our wares as tomatoes over ripened, and the onions rot was high,” remarked Stephen Gichuhi, a trader at the Nyakarianga roadside market.
County NEMA Director, Ezra Mwangi, noted that his office had worked closely with the market leaders and the County Administration to ensure that the ban which was enacted two years ago was observed.
On waste management, her counterpart, Mary Machandi, called on scrap metals collector and dealers to ensure that they were licensed by the Authority.
“NEMA licenses transporters of waste such as scrap metals, sewerage waste and plastic bottles. We have noted a number have not complied and we are urging them to seek Authority even if their hustle is geared towards environmental management,” added Ms. Machandi.
She noted that it was essential for them to be licensed as those collecting waste would be accountable for their disposal, noting that every disposal site must too be, Authorized by NEMA.
By Anne Sabuni
