Nairobi, March 3, 2026 - Centre for Environment Justice and Development (CEJAD) and the Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBF) call for the implementation of Kenya's waste management laws and the integration of waste pickers to ensure a true, just transition for waste pickers that prioritizes their dignity, safety, and recognition.
Zero Waste Systems are proving that with the right design, responsibility and community leadership, plastic pollution can be prevented before it even begins.
Every year, the world produces approximately 300 million tonnes of plastic waste, yet only about 9% of it is recycled. The rest ends up in landfills, natural environments, and oceans, where it breaks down into microplastics ,tiny particles that infiltrate our food chains, freshwater systems, and marine environments, posing serious threats to human health and ecosystems.
As the world prepares for the 2025 World Environment Day, themed “Ending Plastic Pollution”, the Centre for Environment Justice and Development (CEJAD), in collaboration with the Swedish International Centre for Local Democracy (ICLD), convened a unique three-day regional conference in Mombasa, Kenya.
Just Transition towards an environmentally sustainable economy can be described as the process of designing, promoting, and implementing actions to transition to the sustainable production and consumption of plastics in a fair and inclusive manner. This ensures that no one is left behind, especially workers and communities most affected by environmental and economic changes.
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are toxic compounds that remain in the environment for long periods and accumulate in the food chain. They include dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), brominated flame retardants, and other POPs listed under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants. These chemicals pose serious risks to human health, such as cancer, thyroid dysfunction, and reproductive problems.
September 21, 2024, marked as World Coastal Cleanup Day— is a global effort aimed at removing trash from aquatic environments to reduce environmental pollution. To commemorate this day, CEJAD joined hands with numerous organizations as part of the International Coastal Cleanup Committee, Kenya Chapter, to coordinate and collaborate on this initiative.
Before the day begins, a group of brave men and women equipped with small bags and small hand-pulled carts navigate the streets, households and dumpsites collecting items that others have discarded. The waste pickers, a group of individuals who are usually unnoticed play a very important role in maintaining a greener environment and ensuring we have a safe cleaner surrounding
On 14th April 2023, CEJAD in collaboration with CIEL, organized an Africa Civil Society Workshop on the Global Plastics Treaty in Nairobi. The meeting reviewed the draft document and identified key priorities for Africa region to champion in the treaty during the INC-2 in Paris. As African CSOs, we are committed to pushing for a legally binding treaty and a Just Transition for waste pickers.
