Speaking on Monday, president William Ruto has urged producers and innovators to rethink their use of plastics in products and packaging to deal with pollution.
During the opening of the third session of the Inter-Governmental Negotiating Committee on Ending Plastic Pollution at the United Nations office in Nairobi, the president said industry and private sector must accept and look for alternatives to making plastics circular.
“We call upon producers and innovators to rethink 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 stated.
He further stated “I invite innovators to come and invest in Africa because the continent has natural resources that can be used for planet-friendly alternatives.”
President Ruto said that the elimination of plastic pollution is a threat that demands innovation.
“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,” he added.
“This calls for investments in mechanisms to make technology transfer and transformation easy and possible.”
Globally, 46 percent of plastic waste is landfilled, 22 per cent is mismanaged and becomes litter, while only 17 per cent is incinerated.
