Applying Circular Economy Paradigm for Preventing Marine Plastic Pollution in Kenya: Opportunities and Challenges

Globally, plastic pollution is very pronounced in terrestrial and marine environments. It is found in the environment we engage in, the water we drink, the food we eat, and the air we breathe. Plastic waste has been found to impact negatively on the human health, marine and terrestrial biodiversity. Moreover, when plastic waste enters the environment, it remains there for a long time despite its short-term use. To address this trend, a sustainable approach is needed that shifts production and consumption culture from the linear “buy, use, and discard” model to the circular “buy, use, and reuse” model. To achieve this, both policy and infrastructure conducive to the development of a circular economy have to be put in place. This chapter, therefore, starts by describing the state of plastic pollution in Kenya. Kenya’s efforts to promote the circularity of plastic waste in the economy—right from policy (e.g., single-use plastic bag and single-use plastics ban). To enabling factors that promote plastic waste management in the context of the circular economy, the chapter further diagnoses the limitations to effective management of marine plastic pollution in Kenya today and concludes by offering plausible solutions to promote plastic circularity in Kenya.