Environment and Forestry Principal Secretary Dr. Chris Kiptoo has challenged manufacturers to embrace sustainable waste management and circular economy as part of their contribution to clean and healthy environment.
The PS has said companies that aspire to engage in international trade must invest in innovation as well as mitigation of their social and environmental risks, at the expense of focusing on profits.
“Sustainability is creation of value for diverse stakeholders, including shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, communities, government and the future generation,” he said.
Speaking today in Nairobi when presiding over the launch of sustainability report for Bio Food Products limited, he said the importance of sustainability hinges on dynamic customer expectations as well as emerging national and international legislation.
“Sustainability considerations hence gives a company some enhanced competitive advantage.” Kiptoo said.
Kiptoo lauded the company saying the launch of the report comes at a time when the world is experiencing the triple interconnected global environmental emergencies ie climate change; biodiversity loss; pollution and waste which need to be addressed immediately.
The PS said the challenges have brought to the fore discussions regarding the unsustainable consumption and production as a threat to human health, prosperity and equity.
On Sustainability, he said that reporting is crucial in illuminating successes and aims of corporate sustainability management, as well as the company’s activities in the arena of environmental protection, employees, workplace safety and social responsibility.
He said that it also highlights the company’s commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals including tackling climate change in the coming years.
Kiptoo said the linear model of production has dominated industrial systems for long and resulted in increased environmental degradation and production of waste.
“Circular economy provides an opportunity to reverse this trend through reduction, re-use and recycling. Enabling a circular economy and environmentally sustainable use through extended producer responsibility, life-cycle assessment, reuse and recycling is a very fundamental shift towards sustainable development,” he said.
He said Circular economy provides for enhanced value extraction from resources and can turn economies around by ensuring optimal resource use with minimal demand for virgin raw materials and reduced pollution. The Paris Agreement goal on 1.5°C may not be attainable unless all Countries embrace Circular Economy principles.
Kiptoo said Kenya’s Updated Nationally Determined Contribution and Climate Change Action Plan, mainstream Circular economy as an important tool in the fight against Climate Change and in the attainment of the SDGs.
He said the priority areas include deployment of renewable energy; energy and water efficiency; promotion of industrial symbiosis; pollution control and sustainable waste management.
He further said Kenya Kenya is developing its Long-term Greenhouse Gas Emission Strategy (2050) which will enhance the scope of circular economy interventions in all sectors aimed at carbon neutrality.
Kiptoo said Kenya has also made significant achievements in promoting environmental sustainability, including banning of single use polythene bags nationally and single use plastics in protected conservation areas.
Other interventions include the development of a Sustainable Waste Management Policy and legislation and regulations on Extended Producer Responsibility, Plastics and Chemicals Management and E-waste.
The PS also said the Ministry of Environment has framework designed to help private sector to go green and embrace the circular economy framework through the involvement of businesses, enterprises and citizens to reach the targets of zero waste, zero emissions and enhanced material recycling practices,” he said.
Kiptoo reiterated that circularity and sustainable consumption and production are essential to assist Kenya deliver on its commitments in multilateral agreements including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Circular economy will help us use our resources optimally while reducing our waste and environmental pollution footprint. We have already developed some policy and legislative enablers and are committed to reflect and upscale on our transition to circular economy,” he said.
According to the report, in the last four years, Bio Foods Limited has implemented several sustainability interventions such as light weighted PET bottle by 30percent; enhanced use of solar energy by 11 percent placing plastic bins in key retail outlets; recycling of 90 percent factory waste; being active members of PETCO; decreasing carbon footprint and embracing carbon offset.
Kenya Association of Manufacturers Chairman Muchai Kunyiha said , the association has been engaging the government with a view of coming up with regulations to help the industries implement sustainable projects.
Bio Food limited Managing Director Eelco Weber said the company has signed up to the UN Carbon Neutral Now Initiative and have offset 100 per cent of carbon footprint for the period of July 2019- June 2020.
“We want to demonstrate our commitment to being carbon neutral. We will continually seek to improve our operations but we will always require a certain amount of fuel and electricity to run our business. Offsetting our carbon gives us comfort that we are taking responsibility and mitigating our business impact”, he said.
Present during the event were Ministry of Environment and Forestry Director Enviromental Education and Awareness Dr. Ayub Macharia, PETCO County Manager Joyce Gachugi among others.