Plastic Bags Make a Comeback in Kenyan Markets Despite Ban

Seven years after Kenya banned single-use plastic bags, the prohibited carriers are quietly returning to markets and shops across the country

Traders cite high costs and limited alternatives, while enforcement authorities struggle to maintain oversight

At Kangemi Market in Nairobi, vendors openly pack vegetables like sukuma wiki in the familiar thin plastic bags, rarely seen using recommended biodegradable or woven alternatives

“Hii plastic bag ndiyo wateja wanataka juu ni rahisi kubeba,” said Mary, a trader arranging her produce

Across towns from Kakamega and Kisumu to Nairobi’s Gikomba and Muthurwa, banned plastics are back in circulation. Some vendors admit the trend began quietly two years ago and has since grown into open defiance

“Zinakuja kutoka Uganda ama Tanzania. Watu wanataka biashara iendelee, hatuwezi kosa kutoa huduma,” said a wholesaler who sources bags through cross-border suppliers

Kenya banned single-use plastic bags in 2017 under regulations enforced by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), earning praise globally for one of Africa’s strictest stances on plastic waste

Early enforcement was strict, with frequent arrests and routine market inspections. Today, enforcement has slowed.

“We still conduct spot checks, but resources are limited,” said a county environment officer in western Kenya. “Sometimes, after we confiscate the plastics, traders go back to selling them after a few days. There’s little follow-up”

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Environmental experts point to weak coordination between national and county governments as a major factor. Many counties lack the staff and funds to sustain inspections

For many traders, the return to plastic is a survival strategy. Biodegradable or non-woven alternatives can cost nearly twice as much

“A roll of good paper bags is expensive. If I use those, I have to increase prices and customers will just go to the next stall,” said a grocery seller in Muthurwa Market

Shoppers also prefer plastic’s light, waterproof convenience

“Paper bags are okay, but when it rains everything gets wet. I still carry my own plastic bags from home,” said one Nairobi customer

Environmental groups warn the resurgence is already visible in rivers, drainage systems, and dumpsites, reversing years of progress. A 2024 NEMA survey showed a nearly 40% increase in single-use plastics in urban drainage systems compared to 2020

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Some youth groups, however, see opportunity in the crisis. In Kisumu, Eldoret, and Nairobi, small recyclers are turning collected plastics into paving blocks, flower pots, and art pieces

“If we collected and recycled these plastics, it wouldn’t choke the environment,” said Brian, a youth recycler from Nyalenda, Kisumu. “We can turn waste into something useful but we need support”

NEMA maintains the ban is still in force, with offenders liable to fines of up to two million shillings or jail time

However, few cases reach prosecution, leaving Kenya’s environmental victory at risk unless renewed enforcement and accountability measures are implemented

Writer : Mweru Mbugua