Cities flooded: Four years in prison for using plastic bags

Kenya today banned the use of plastic bags, and anyone who does not comply with the ban is threatened with a fine of up to $38.000 or four years in prison.

The ban refers to the use, production and import of plastic bags. The minimum fine for violating the ban is $19.000 or one year in prison.

The authorities stated that certain exceptions have been made when it comes to the production of plastic bags for industrial purposes.

Plastic bags covered the streets of Nairobi and overflowed landfills, forcing Kenyan officials to take action.

According to the UN, more than 100 million plastic bags are distributed each year in Kenyan supermarkets alone.

Cameroon, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia and Malawi are some of the African countries that have announced bans or banned plastic bags.

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