Waste Awareness Not Enough, KEPRO Warns as EPR Compliance Gap Persists

Waste Awareness Not Enough, KEPRO Warns as EPR Compliance Gap Persists

KEPRO officials and stakeholders pose for a group photo during the Media Breakfast held in Nairobi on September 9, 2026, as the organisation called for stronger collaboration to turn waste management awareness into meaningful action and accelerate Kenya’s transition to a circular economy.

By Jeff Oyugi 

Nairobi - September 9, 2026

The Kenya Extended Producer Responsibility Organisation (KEPRO) has challenged the government, manufacturers, consumers and players in the waste management sector to move beyond public awareness and take concrete action to improve waste management and accelerate Kenya’s transition to a circular economy.

The call came yesterday as KEPRO marked the conclusion of its Rada Safi Campaign with a media breakfast in Nairobi, where stakeholders acknowledged that while public understanding of responsible waste management is growing, awareness alone will not deliver lasting change.

The organisation said stronger collaboration across the waste value chain was needed to translate changing attitudes into measurable environmental and economic outcomes.

Speaking during the engagement, held under the theme, “Shifting Mindsets, Driving Action: Communication as a Catalyst for Kenya’s Circular Economy,” KEPRO chief executive James Odongo said Kenya had made progress in adopting Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), but warned that registration of manufacturers with Producer Responsibility Organisations must be accompanied by meaningful compliance.

“There is an incremental uptake of EPR. Manufacturers are registering with Producer Responsibility Organizations, but registration does not always translate into compliance,” Mr Odongo said.

He added that although progress had been recorded, more effort was required to build an EPR system that was legitimate, effective and beneficial to all players across the value chain.

His remarks point to one of the central challenges facing Kenya’s waste management sector: bridging the gap between policy adoption and implementation.

The Rada Safi Campaign was designed to increase awareness of responsible waste management, waste separation and the potential of waste as an economic resource.

According to KEPRO Communications Lead Winnie Chepkorir, the campaign deployed a wide range of communication platforms, including billboards, matatu branding, television, radio, digital platforms, influencers and public engagement activities.

The strategy was intended to take sustainability conversations beyond conventional environmental forums and into everyday spaces used by ordinary Kenyans.

However, lessons from the campaign showed that creating awareness is only the first step.

KEPRO said sustained transformation would require changes in individual behaviour, supportive infrastructure and coordinated action involving government, producers, consumers, recyclers and the media.

The issue took centre stage during a panel discussion titled “From Awareness to Action: Driving Consumer Behaviour Change and Sustainable Packaging in Kenya.”

The panel brought together representatives from KEPRO, the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), the Kenya Association of Waste Recyclers (KAWR) and Nairobi City County Government.

Participants identified several obstacles that continue to hinder the development of an effective circular economy in Kenya.

Among the challenges highlighted were the high cost of recycling, inadequate recycling infrastructure, problematic packaging materials and difficulties in separating waste at source.

Stakeholders also raised concerns over coordination between county governments and Producer Responsibility Organisations, suggesting that stronger cooperation would be critical if Kenya is to establish an efficient waste recovery system.

The stakeholders estimated that Kenya had achieved between 75 and 80 per cent transition in the shift towards EPR, but acknowledged that compliance and implementation remained a work in progress.

The recycling industry, meanwhile, called for greater recognition of waste as an economic commodity rather than simply an environmental nuisance.

Richard Kainikia, Secretary General of the Kenya Association of Waste Recyclers, said waste represented a genuine business opportunity for thousands of people involved in its collection, sorting, processing and distribution.

“Waste is material to us. It is a genuine business that relies on supply and distribution just like any other business,” Mr Kainikia said.

He argued that the circular economy begins when value is identified in discarded materials, underscoring the potential of recycling to create economic opportunities while reducing pressure on the environment.

Mr Kainikia also stressed the importance of separating waste and keeping recyclable materials uncontaminated, saying this would improve their value and recovery.

The remarks underline the often overlooked economic dimension of waste management, particularly for people working across the recycling and recovery value chain.

For Kenya to fully benefit from a circular economy, stakeholders said, environmental responsibility must increasingly be viewed alongside opportunities for business, investment, employment and innovation.

The conclusion of Rada Safi now marks the beginning of another phase for KEPRO, with the organisation shifting its focus from awareness creation to broader dialogue and practical action.

The next major platform will be the fourth KEPRO Annual Circular Packaging Conference (KACPC IV), scheduled for October 2, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency Nairobi, Westlands.

The conference will bring together policymakers, business leaders, manufacturers, recyclers, investors, innovators and sustainability champions under the theme “Sustainable Packaging for a Resilient Future, Innovation. Accountability. Impact.”

KEPRO said the conference would provide a national platform for stakeholders to pursue partnerships, innovation, investment and practical solutions in Kenya’s packaging and circular economy landscape.

The organisation is now urging stakeholders to use the momentum generated by Rada Safi to help transform public awareness into changes in systems and practices.

The challenge, however, remains whether increased awareness can translate into consistent waste separation, stronger compliance by producers, improved recycling infrastructure and better coordination among institutions.

As Kenya continues its transition towards an EPR system, the next phase will therefore test whether the country can turn the message of responsible waste management into measurable action.

For KEPRO, Rada Safi may have started the conversation, but the real test lies in whether that conversation can produce lasting changes in how Kenya produces, consumes, collects, recovers and manages waste.