Kenya to phase out single-use plastics in tourism
Kenya’s government, in partnership with Environmental Development Partners, has launched the NO SUP USE campaign and manual to phase out problematic single-use plastics, starting with the hospitality and tourism sectors. Announced in Nairobi on 21 November 2025 during the 10th Annual Circular Economy Conference and No Waste Festival – which hosted the Kenya Plastics Pact Summit – the manual advances the 5 Rs of Refuse, Reduce, Replace, Reuse and Refill to accelerate a circular plastics economy.
Sustainable Inclusive Business Kenya’s Karin Boomsma said the priority is research-led identification of problematic items and design-led circularity. Kenya Plastics Pact chair Akshay Shah added that circularity could be a major economic driver – positioning Kenya as a green manufacturing hub, attracting investment, creating jobs and supporting ecotourism – and called for clear definitions of problematic plastics and viable recycling under proper enforcement. NEMA’s Dr Ayub Macharia highlighted Extended Producer Responsibility, the role of waste pickers and private-sector accountability across the value chain. The summit convened over 300 delegates and covered EPR and legislation, design in practice, plastics-free MICE and tourism, and the Global Plastics Treaty.
Source: Africa Newswire