Kenyan manufacturers have been urged to accelerate adoption of circular economy in their production process to cut the amount of waste ensing up in landfills.
Speaking during the second edition of the Kenya Loop Forum, Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) Head of Consulting and Business Development Joyce Njogu said through collaborative efforts with the Danish Government and the National Enviroy Management Authority (NEMA), local manufacturers are devising solutions that will address pollution, biodiversity and climate change.
“We have developed waste management strategies which informed the Waste Management Act as we try to improve productivity and reduce waste across the entire value chain,” she said .
Principal Secretary for Environment and Climate Change Festus Ng’eno said Kenya generates 8 million tonnes of waste annually, equivalent to 22 tonnes daily.
Each of the 50 million residents generates almost 0.5 kgs of waste daily, much of which ends up in dumpsites hence posing a significant threat to the environment.
“Sustainable waste management necessitates a multi-stakeholder approach and this forum is very timely, as we come up with tangible solutions on how business ventures can be part of the solutions of the triple planetary crisis of pollution ,biodiversity loss and climate change,” added the Ng’eno.
According to KAM, Kenya is dedicated towards sustainable development and environmental stewardship .
Speaking at the event, Danish Minister for Environment Magnus Heunicke urged Kenyan businesses to localize and implement sustainable waste management strategies.
“The challenges facing us are many and the answers are simple, we need to use our resources over and over again, reduce our consumption and footprint and develop a systematic circular economy for a more sustainable world,” he noted.
