President Ruto Urges Producers To Rethink Plastic Use To Combat Pollution
To combat pollution, President William Ruto has urged innovators and producers to reconsider their use of plastics in products and packaging.
The president stated on Monday at the United Nations office in Nairobi, during the opening of the third session of the Inter-Governmental Negotiating Committee on Ending Plastic Pollution, that industry and the private sector must accept and seek opportunities in alternative methods to circular plastic production.
“We call upon producers and innovators to rethink plastic products and packaging to reflect the principles of reuse, refill, repair and repurpose by exploring alternative options such as non-plastic substitutes, alternative plastics and plastic products that do not have negative environmental, health and social impacts,” he said.
“I invite innovators to come and invest in Africa because the continent has natural resources that can be used for planet-friendly alternatives.”
Ruto characterized the inter-governmental negotiating committee’s integral session as a chance for alternative plastic industries in Africa to emerge as market leaders and propel economic transformation and development on our continent.
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“Innovation has moved humanity forward for centuries, helping people overcome numerous threats and challenges. The elimination of plastic pollution is a threat that demands innovation,” the president said.
“This calls for investments in mechanisms to make technology transfer and transformation easy and possible.”
Following the United Nations Environmental Assembly 5.2 in February 2022, where 170 nations consented to initiate negotiations for a globally binding instrument, Kenya is hosting the session.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that annually, plastic waste production exceeds 400 million tonnes on a global scale.
A mere ten percent of these are recycled; thus, 23 million tonnes are discharged into rivers, lakes, and oceans.
A remarkable 46% of plastic waste is disposed of in landfills worldwide, 22% is improperly managed and degrades into debris, and a mere 17% is subjected to incineration.
President Ruto Urges Producers To Rethink Plastic Use To Combat Pollution
