President William Ruto has said no one should be left behind in the shift from a linear to a circular model of plastic life cycle management.
Speaking during the official opening of the Third Session of the Inter-Governmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on ending plastic pollution, at the United Nations Office, Nairobi, the head of state said to deal with plastic pollution, humanity must change.
"The global community is waiting with great anticipation for the instrument that you will develop to chart a global plan for tackling plastic pollution, this is an opportunity to convert the zero draft into a plan," he said.
The circular economy is a system where materials don't become waste, it focuses on reducing waste to a minimum in tackling climate change.
In the system, products and materials in most cases, go through six processes.
The processes are; maintenance, reuse, refurbishment, remanufacture, recycling, and composting.
A linear economy is a system in which resources are extracted to make products that eventually end up as waste and are thrown away.
The President called on the world to change consumption, production, and how waste is disposed of.
"Change is inevitable. This treaty, this instrument that we are working on, is the first domino in this change. Let us bring it home. Let the change begin," he said.
Ruto retaliated that the world is in need of alternatives and ways of making plastics circular, calling on investments in mechanisms to make technology transfer and transformation easy and possible.
"Innovation has moved humanity forward for centuries, helping people overcome numerous threats and challenges. The elimination of plastic pollution is a threat that demands innovation. This is the reality and challenges that industry and the private sector must accept and look for opportunities in other alternatives," he noted.
The head of state insisted that plastic pollution is a global challenge affecting people’s health and biodiversity.
"It alters livelihoods, chokes marine life besides impacting negatively on our food production."
