The Innovations team took part in the first Kenya Plastic Pact (KPP) summit, which was organized on 27th October 2022 in Nairobi-Kenya by Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and other partners.
The Innovations Unit was invited to plug in its resource team to contribute innovative ways, designs, and initiatives to support the reuse of plastics. The Innovation Lab Coordinator, Mr. Derrick Mugasia, who represented ICHA’s innovation Unit , reiterated that the innovations unit is at the forefront in looking into creative ways of ensuring environmental preservation and restoration.
During this event, the KPP Roadmap to 2030 and a Priority list of problematic and unnecessary plastic items were launched. The roadmap highlights the expected outcomes of each of the four targets and areas through which it supports the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) being developed by the government.
The Priority list of materials for elimination includes: All polystyrene packaging, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) – with an exemption of pharmaceutical PVC, Expanded Polystyrene (EPS), Polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG), secondary plastic cling film on takeaway packaging, consumer plastic multi-wrap around cans, tins, bottles, and cartons for multiuse, PETG and PVC shrink sleeves on PET bottles, plastic straws, plastic stirrers, plastic cotton bud sticks, disposable plastic plates and bowls, and disposable plastic cutlery.
There were various discussions on how to use ‘Innovative Financing’ by the private sector to mobilize and direct funds into circular initiatives. There were also conversations around green financing and its importance in supporting various initiatives geared toward environmental preservation.
There were discussions also on the need to connect the ecosystem with academia and researchers who can develop new processes, approaches, and innovative products that can bring competitiveness and relevance to recycled products.
It was agreed that Innovation done through formal and informal sectors needs to be documented accordingly to guide standards, and the team would be followed-up by a select committee of the attending stakeholders.
Note:
The Kenya Plastic Pact (KPP) was officially launched in October 2021 to address the design, use, and reuse of plastics (circular economy) to keep plastics in and out of the environment. Coupled with four targets; eliminating unnecessary single-use plastic packaging, 100% of plastic packaging to be reusable and recyclable, increasing the amount of plastic being recycled to 40% and 15% average recycled content across all plastic packaging, the pact anticipates to have a practical reduction of environmental effects by 2030.
