Kenya mulls incentives to woo investments for solid waste management

Kenya is exploring a raft of financial and policy incentives in order to enlist the private sector's help in curbing solid waste menace, officials said on Friday.

Principal Secretary for Environment and Natural Resources Charles Sunkuli told a media briefing in Nairobi that the incentives will attract private sector investments into recycling of solid waste as part of plans to ensure Kenya achieves the Sustainable Development Goals.

"We are currently in discussions with the National Treasury in order to introduce tax incentives and waivers that will promote private sector investment into the recycling industry," Sunkuli said during the launch of the score card on waste management, which promotes constant improvements in waste management in the country.

The incentives also aim at ensuring that industries reduce pollution to the environment.

Sunkuli said economic growth and the expansion of the middle class have led to increased generation of solid waste.

The PS noted that management of waste in the country remains a major challenge as most urban areas and counties lack the requisite waste handling infrastructure.

The environment ministry said poor waste management has negatively impacted on the environment and has also exacerbated climate change related effects.

In 2014, Kenya developed a National Environment Policy that provides a holistic framework on the management of the environment and natural resources.

The policy ensures that environmental matters are integrated in all government policies in order to facilitate and realize sustainable development at all levels.

The National Environment Management Authority has also formed an inter-agency committee on the enforcement of waste regulations, which aims at identifying gaps in the implementation of the waste agenda in the country. Endit