The campaign against plastic pollution has received a major boost after international brands such as Coca Cola and PepsiCo among others called for a global pact.
On Monday, over 70 signatories made the move in a joint statement days before Kenya hosts the fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly.
The session set to be held at Gigiri by UNEP between February 28 and March 2, will give attention to the challenges facing the environment and is set to bring together representatives of the 193 member states of the UN, businesses, civil society and other stakeholders.
The theme is “Strengthening Actions for Nature to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals”.
Immediately after UNEA-5.2, the Assembly will hold a Special Session on March 3 - 4, which is devoted to the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the creation of the UN Environment Programme in 1972.
“We are at a critical point in time to establish an ambitious UN treaty," the statement read in part.
The statement said there is a need to reduce virgin plastic production and use.
According to the statement, the upcoming UNEA 5.2 is the decisive, most auspicious moment to turn the tide on the global plastic pollution crisis.
“We cannot afford to miss it."
The Global Commitment on plastics is led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, in collaboration with the UN Environment Programme.
The companies that have called for a global pact on plastics include those that deal with consumer goods such as Unilever and Nestle among others.
The Global Commitment has already mobilised over 500 signatories that are determined to start building a circular economy for plastic.
These include companies representing 20 per cent of all plastic packaging produced globally, some of which are well-known consumer businesses such as L’Oréal, MARS, Nestlé and PepsiCo.
Others are Coca-Cola Company and Unilever, the world’s largest retailer— Walmart, major packaging producers such as Amcor and Berry Global, and two of the largest resource management specialists—Veolia and Suez.
On February 27, 2017, Kenya’s environment ministry banned the use of plastic carrier bags through a gazette notice.
The ban came into effect in August that year.
Possession of plastics attracts a fine of between Sh2 million and Sh4 million, or a jail term of between one and two years, or both.
Before 2017, about 100 million plastic bags were used in Kenyan supermarkets every year, with severe consequences to the environment.
Despite the ban, plastic bags are still being smuggled into the country.
It is suspected that the plastics come from Tanzania, Somalia and Uganda.
The National Environment Management Authority has been facing challenges in Garissa, Mandera, Moyale, Busia, Taita Taveta, Namanga and other border posts.
On June 5, 2019, Kenya would again ban single-use plastics on beaches, national parks, forests and conservation areas.
The ban prohibits visitors from carrying single-use plastic water bottles, disposable cups, plates, cutlery and straws into national parks, forests, beaches and conservation areas.
Despite all these efforts, other forms of plastics have become one of the biggest catastrophes of our generation and a major threat to biodiversity.
Nema director general Mamo Mamo said, “We are also worried about these other single-use plastics. The plastic cups, plastic plates, plastic forks and plastic straws.”
He added, “We are studying whether we can expand and put (these) under the ban.”
In October last year, UNEP warned that the amount of plastics in the oceans has grown rapidly in recent years and is projected to double by 2030.
The report, "From pollution to solution", followed a global assessment of marine litter and plastic pollution.
It found that there is a growing threat in all ecosystems from source to sea.
“Despite current initiatives and efforts, the amount of plastics in the oceans has been estimated to be around 75-199 million tonnes,” it said.
UNEP said at least 11 million tonnes of plastic are dumped into water bodies every year.
This is the equivalent of one garbage truck being dumped every minute.
It is estimated that about five trillion macro and micro plastic pieces are in the ocean, making up 60 to 90 per cent of marine debris.
Scientists have warned that there will be more plastic than fish in the world’s oceans by 2050 unless people stop using single-use plastic items.
According to the President of the fifth session of the UN Assembly, Sveinung Rotevatn, nature is faced with multiple and interlinked threats that need to be addressed.
The threats include unsustainable management of nature and its resources, unsustainable consumption and production patterns, climate change, and pollution and littering of water, air, and soil.
Rotevatn who is also the Minister of Environment and Climate in Norway said there is a need to commit to supporting a green and just recovery, with the goal of revitalising our economies and livelihoods, contributing to poverty eradication.
UNEP has however lauded efforts being made to address the challenge through various global initiatives.