Plastic pollution remains a huge challenge in Mombasa County

By Tobby Otum

Mombasa county like other growing urban areas is faced with plastics pollution problem.

Mombasa Deputy governor Francis Thoya acknowledged plastics pollution in the county remains huge challenge.

He disclosed the county government through the Solid Waste Management Act, advocates for reduction, recovery and recycling of waste.

“The County Government is in the process of implementing policies to regulate waste management,” he announced.

Thoya pointed out that youth are a critical cog in the wheel of progress towards marine plastics elimination.

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He was speaking during a stakeholders’ forum at Ratna Square Shopping Centre in Nyali constituency, Mombasa county.

The Deputy Governor lauded the Mombasa Plastic Prize initiative which seeks to engage stakeholders to solve the challenge at a community level.

***A section of journalists attending a media training organized by Mombasa Plastics Prize held at Ratna Square Shopping Centre in Nyali constituency, Mombasa county.***

Thoya who doubles up as County Executive in charge for Environment said he is proud the Plastic Prize initiative has 60 innovators whose ideas have been selected to tackle marine plastic pollution along the coastline of Mombasa County.

He added the innovators are aged between 18 and 25 and the finalists are grouped into 15 teams and are now in a race to be one of the top three teams to win over Kshs 7 million of cash prizes.

“The first-place team will take home Kshs 3.5 million with an aim to raise awareness of the problem of plastics in the ocean and to support new innovations,” he added.

USAID Kenya and East Africa Deputy Mission Director Sheila Roquitte said, “Reversing the tide on marine plastic pollution is now recognised as a global challenge that requires collective action.”

She disclosed they are ready to support efforts to spur Mombasa’s young people to take the lead in innovative solutions to prevent millions of tons of plastic from ending up in our oceans every year.

Tom Bui, Director of Environment at Global Affairs Canada said: “The Canadian Government is proud to be part of an initiative committed to finding innovative solutions that promote the circular plastic economy, while simultaneously improving the social economic standing of women and girls in Sub-Saharan Africa. While the solutions may vary, policy solutions, increased awareness, and improved design among others, are critical to changing behavior and better managing plastic waste.”

Tris Dyson, Managing Director at Challenge Works said: “Our experience with the Afri-Plastics Challenge, a similar initiative that has been running in the past year, has given us unique insights and unearthed creative ways of working with local communities to tackle plastic waste.”

He added, “Learnings from the Afri-Plastics Challenge demonstrate that the relationship between plastic waste usage and human behaviour is complex; however, when innovations are paired with engagement strategies such as nudges, gamification, incentives and storytelling, as well as understanding the role that women and girls play across the value chain, behaviour change is triggered.”