Kenya to ban use of plastic bags in August

                            

The Kenyan government said on Wednesday that it will outlaw the manufacture and import of plastic bags from August for damaging the environment.

Environment and Natural Resources Cabinet Secretary Judi Wakhungu said in a gazette notice that all plastic bags used for commercial and household packaging will be banned from Aug. 28.

"It is notified to the public that the cabinet secretary for environment and natural resource has with effect from six months from the date of this notice (Feb 28) banned the use, manufacture and importation of all plastic bags used for commercial and household packaging.

The ban will affect carrier which is constructed with handles and with or without gussets; and flat bag constructed without handles and with or without gussets

The ban is on bags up to 0.06 millimetres (60 microns) in thickness which winds often carry hundreds of kilometres from their source of origin.

The government has advised manufacturers of plastic bags in the East African nation to adopt new technologies of making biodegradable bags.