Yahoo Finance Get caught using a plastic bag in Kenya and you could be jailed or fined millions
If you think paying 10p for a shopping bag here is a bit steep, you best keep clear of Kenya.
The African nation has imposed the most draconian laws on the use of plastic bags: up to four years in jail or a fine of 4 million shillings (£29,000).
About 300 million plastic bags are used in Kenya every year, the majority of which end up being thrown away.
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Citizens received a text message from the national environment agency on Monday to remind them of the ban.
“If this works, it will be a massive breakthrough for reducing plastic pollution which is causing huge damage to the planet,” said Erik Solheim, head of the UN environment agency, which is based in Nairobi, told the Financial Times.
The fines will not be imposed immediately, said Judy Wakhungu, the environment minister, as the government was aware it is going to take time for “people to change their habits”.
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Suppliers and manufacturers will be the first target of the crackdown – although environment agents will have the power to stop and search people for plastic bags.
Despite a last-ditch appeal, the Kenya Association of Manufacturers failed to have the ban postponed. It says thousands of jobs are at risk and threaten investment.
The UK imposed a minimum 5p per plastic bag charge in October 2015, years after near neighbour Ireland imposed such a tax.
The effect was dramatic: in 2014, it was estimated Britons used about 7.6bn plastic bags, but over the first six months of the ban, use had fallen to 1.1bn.
Some major supermarkets are now scrapping plastic bags entirely. Tesco most recently said shoppers would only be able to buy a 10p bag for life.
