NEMA Bans Use of Non-Woven Bags Due to Poor Quality

The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has banned the use of non-woven bags that flooded the market after plastic bags were outlawed in 2017.

According to NEMA, it will be illegal to use these bags beginning 31^st March 2019.

In August 2017, the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources banned the use, manufacture, and importation of plastic bags used for commercial and household packaging.

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Although NEMA, at that time said that it had made great strides in providing clarifications on acceptable alternative options to the plastic carrier bags which were affected by the ban, it has been forced, once again, to outlaw non-woven bags for environmental reasons.

The authority noted that in as much as these bags are convenient and handy, manufacturers have been outputting poor quality non-woven bags that are dumped after one use.

“Non-woven bags are known to bear positive characteristics in terms of reusability and durability as opposed to the conventional plastic carrier bags. However, due to the rising need of the non-woven bags in the market, it has been noted over time that Manufacturers of these bags are producing very ‘low gauge’ poor quality non-woven bags which cannot be used multiple times but are disposed of after single use,” read a statement from NEMA.

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NEMA said that the single-usage of these bags will eventually lead to heavy environmental consequences due to poor disposal practices currently being experienced in the country coupled with the lack of requisite infrastructure to sustainably manage these bags.

The authority has, therefore, given a directive to ALL manufacturers, importers, suppliers/distributors and users of these non-woven polypropylene bags to stop further manufacture, importation, supply and use of the bags in the Kenyan market by the end of the month.

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The ban will hold until the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KeBs) gazettes a standard that will inform the quality of non-woven bags needed in the Kenyan market.

Kenyans are advised, therefore, advised to comply accordingly, and adopt other options including sisal, paper, cloth, papyrus, and gunny bags.