By Abdimalik Hajir - Reporter
Kenya, June 18, 2026 - The Kenya Coalition to End Plastic Pollution has warned that toxic chemicals and microplastics are increasingly contaminating marine ecosystems and food systems across the country. In a press statement issued after concluding the 11th Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, the coalition raised alarm over escalating plastic contamination in marine environments. The group noted that plastic pollution accounts for an estimated 80% of marine litter globally, adding that once plastics enter the ocean, marine life becomes prone to entanglement or choking when animals mistake the debris for food.
"Further health risks extend to humans, with exposure to toxic chemicals in plastics and microplastics linked to cancer, reproductive and endocrine disruption, and other long-term health impacts," read parts of the statement.
The coalition, which includes the Centre for Environment Justice and Development (CEJAD), Mount Kenya Forum, Decolonize, and Greenface Africa, said studies conducted by CEJAD and its partners have confirmed that many recycled and everyday consumer plastics currently on the Kenyan market contain toxic chemicals capable of leaching into the environment.
Griffins Ochieng, Executive Director at CEJAD, stated that beyond this chemical threat, plastics fragment into microplastics that can be ingested by marine life and enter the food chain as seafood, posing serious health risks when consumed.
Frederick Njau, Programme Coordinator for Sustainable Development at the Heinrich Böll Foundation, added that around 80% of marine plastic pollution originates on land, largely from mismanaged waste carried through rivers, waterways, and drainage systems into the ocean. This, he said, underscores the urgent need to strengthen waste management systems to tackle plastic pollution before it reaches coastlines and oceans.
"Coastal communities are on the frontline of the plastic pollution crisis. They are the first to witness polluted beaches, declining fish catches impacting their earnings, marine creatures harmed by plastic waste, and contaminated food systems. Yet they are also at the heart of the solutions. Empowering and supporting these communities is essential to protecting both human and ocean health," said Hellen Dena, Pan-African Plastic Project Lead at Greenpeace Africa.
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With Africa hosting the Our Ocean Conference for the first time, Dena called on governments, industry, development partners, and the international community to move beyond declarations and deliver measurable action. "The future of our ocean depends not on promises, but on implementation," she emphasized.
The coalition called for investment in environmental education, public awareness, youth leadership, community-led conservation initiatives, and sustainable livelihood opportunities. It also demanded that governments strengthen efforts to protect and restore mangroves, coral reefs, beaches, and other critical marine habitats that sustain biodiversity, support fisheries, enhance climate resilience, and underpin coastal economies.
The coalition asked for full implementation and enforcement of Kenya's Sustainable Waste Management Act and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulations to ensure that producers are accountable for the waste they generate and that communities have access to effective waste segregation, collection, recovery, and recycling systems. Strengthening these frameworks, the group said, is essential to reducing plastic leakage into rivers, coastal environments, and marine ecosystems, while advancing a circular economy and creating dignified green jobs across the waste value chain.
The coalition further called for action to eliminate plastic pollution at source by reducing plastic production, eliminating hazardous chemicals in plastics, phasing out problematic single-use plastic products, and scaling up reuse and refill systems.