Eight traders were on Thursday arrested in Ahero, Kisumu, after they were found with 16,000 pieces of banned plastic bags.
The Ministry of Environment banned the use of plastic carrier bags through a gazette notice dated February 27, 2017.
The ban came into effect in August of that year.
Before 2017, about 100 million plastic bags were used in Kenyan supermarkets every year, with severe consequences to the environment.
“The traders will appear in court on Thursday to answer to the charges,” the National Environment Management Authority said in a tweet.
Those found with banned plastic bags risk paying a fine of between Sh2 million and Sh4 million, or a jail term of between one and two years, or both.
“The Authority will continue to enforce the ban to ensure a clean and safe environment countrywide,” Nema said.
In February, at the fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-5.2), a resolution was adopted to develop a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution.
The authority also conducted an inspection within Kisumu county to ascertain compliance with Effluent Discharge License as stipulated in the Water Quality Regulations 2006 in facilities within Kisumu County.
The operation saw a hotel proprietor was arrested for contravening the provisions of the regulations.
“Nema calls on all regulated facilities to endeavor to voluntarily comply with various Environment Regulations so as to ensure a clean and healthy environment in the country,” the authority said.
Plastics are ingested through seafood, drinks, and even common salt; they penetrate the skin and are inhaled when suspended in the air.
