Kenya Urged to Adopt Ambitious Refill and Reuse Targets as Greenpeace Africa Unveils Sustainability Festival
Kenya Urged to Adopt Ambitious Refill and Reuse Targets as Greenpeace Africa Unveils Sustainability Festival
Nairobi, Kenya at the Nairobi National Museum
Story by Stella Ranji
The Government of Kenya is facing renewed calls to adopt bold refill and reuse targets as part of national efforts to curb the growing environmental and economic toll of single-use plastics. The appeal was issued on Saturday during the launch of the inaugural Refill and Reuse Festival at the National Museums of Kenya, an event organised by Greenpeace Africa to highlight sustainable alternatives to disposable plastics.
Hellen Kahaso Dena, Project Lead for the Pan African Plastics Project at Greenpeace Africa, said Kenya stands to benefit significantly from shifting toward refill and reuse systems—models she noted are deeply rooted in African culture.
“Refill and reuse systems are not new to Africa. They are rooted in our culture and have existed since time immemorial. What is new is the invasion of single-use plastics pushed by corporations prioritising profit over people and planet,” Dena said. She urged the government to invest in refill infrastructure and adopt clear, ambitious targets that make reuse “the norm, not the exception.”
Dena warned that the hidden costs of plastic pollution—ranging from clogged drainage systems and river cleanups to health impacts—place a heavy financial burden on taxpayers. “Throwaway culture is expensive. Countries spend billions of dollars to clean up drainage systems, build incinerators, clean rivers, and cover health expenses linked to plastic pollution,” she added.
The two-day festival brings together policymakers, manufacturers, civil society organisations, innovators, and local communities to showcase refill and reuse innovations already available in Kenya. Exhibitors are demonstrating how sustainable packaging alternatives can be integrated into daily life, while panel discussions explore opportunities and barriers to mainstreaming reuse systems on a national scale.
Gerance Mutwol, Plastics Campaigner at Greenpeace Africa, criticised the overreliance on recycling, calling it “a distraction” that allows corporations to continue producing excessive plastic while shifting responsibility to consumers and governments.
“Plastics persist in the environment throughout their lifecycle, leaching harmful chemicals into our soil, water, and bodies,” Mutwol said. “Refill and reuse systems prevent plastic pollution at the source. They conserve resources, create jobs, and protect public health. This is an environmental imperative and economic opportunity that governments can no longer ignore.”
Running under the theme “Experience, Refill, Reuse: A Sustainable Lifestyle for All,” the festival features interactive refill stations, zero-waste exhibitions, children’s upcycling art competitions, and hands-on learning for families and schools. The second day will include live music, poetry performances, storytelling circles, and a refill challenge with prizes for participants.
Organisers say the festival aims to make sustainability accessible, practical, and engaging by demonstrating that alternatives to single-use plastics are both affordable and aligned with long-standing African values of community and resourcefulness.
Admission to the festival is free on both days.
