Tree nursery growers in the country have suffered a major blow after the National Environmental Management Authority banned the use of plastic seedling potting bags.
The authority has instead directed farmers and growers seeking to plant tree seedlings to use biodegradable bags.
The tree nursery growers have warned that this could reduce the number of seedlings, while others have termed the move as long overdue as the plastic bags have major negative impact on the environment.
Recently, the presidential decree to lift the ban on commercial logging was suspended by the High Court as stakeholders warned that the country would fail to meet its 10 per cent forest cover by 2030. It has already been exceeded.
In the latest move, Nema director general Mamo Boru Mamo said since the ban on importation and use of plastic bags, the authority had been extending the ban to use of the potting bags.
In a directive, Mamo said they had been waiting for research by the Kenya Forest Research Institute on the efficiency of alternative planting bags.
“Following the research, Nema directs that use of plastic seedling potting bags ceases and transition to compostable options be adopted with immediate effect,” he said.
Mamo said research had proven the country had the capability and availability of biodegradable bags as an alternative to the plastic bags.
“You are advised to liaise with the Kenya Bureau of Standards for information on local and international standards of the biodegradable potting bags,” he said.
However, members of the tree nursery growers said they were not involved in developing the directive that would hurt their operations.
John Kuria from Aberdare in Kinangop said the Nema directive to use biodegrade bags was not viable and the number of seedlings in the nursery would be reduced.
He said many of the growers had in the past tried the biodegrade bags but they were not practical as they abledegrade too soon.
“Some of these biodegradable bags tear into pieces whenever they come into contact with water and this will reduce the number of tree nurseries,” he said.
Grower Jane Nduta said that the directive would lead to an acute shortage of seedlings in the coming days.
“The growers do not have these biodegrade bags and many will have to close business leading to a shortage of seedlings and affect the ongoing planting of trees,” she said.
The country uses more than 100 million bags a year; many are smuggled and ban ignored.
