Kenya bans single-use plastics from beaches and parks

Kenyan officials have banned all single-use plastics, such as water bottles and straws, from national parks, beaches, forests and other protected areas.

The start of the ban on single-use plastics coincides with World Environment Day and comes three years after Kenya announced one of the world’s strictest bans on plastic bags.

Before the coronavirus outbreak, Kenya hosted two million tourists a year.

The United Nations Environment Programme welcomed the ban, saying it shows Kenya’s commitment to addressing the global scourge of plastic pollution.

It estimates that since the 1950s more than eight billion tonnes of plastic has been produced globally, most of which has ended up in landfill or the natural environment.