Kenya generates 880,000 tons of plastic waste per year, comprising various subcategories such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), with PET, PP and polyester being the most prevalent. The widespread use of plastic, particularly in urban areas, combined with inefficient waste management systems, leads to the pollution of water resources and severe negative impacts on marine life. Furthermore, plastic waste disposed in nature or in landfills emits greenhouse gases during its decomposition. Out of the 122 businesses identified through this study, 17 businesses operating in the plastic waste management sub-sector in Kenya have been identified, covering applications ranging from plastic waste reduction, recycling into new plastic products and waste conversion into energy. This study employed a mixed-methods approach to conduct a deep dive into the plastic waste management sub-sector in Kenya. Out of the 122 businesses identified through this study, 17 businesses operating in the plastic waste management sub-sector in Kenya have been identified, covering applications ranging from plastic waste reduction, recycling into new plastic products and waste conversion into energy.
Every day, Kenya produces over 24,000 tons of waste, amounting to 8.8 million tons annually. Most of this waste is currently mismanaged, with more than 75% of waste in Kenya being incinerated or disposed at dumpsites. Moreover, Kenya is home to two of the world's 50 largest landfills – Dandora in Nairobi and Kibarani in Mombasa – highlighting its significant waste management challenges. Mismanaged waste in Kenya poses several environmental and health risks, which local actors are yet to comprehensively address. The proximity of landfills to residential areas in Kenya negatively impacts the quality of life of nearby communities and poses severe health risks by contaminating local land and water resources. In addition, waste incineration releases toxic pollutants into the air, water and soil and produces hazardous ash that can contaminate the environment and pose health risks to nearby communities. This study identified 16 small and growing businesses (SGBs) providing integrated waste management services. Employing a mixed-methods approach to conduct a deep dive into the integrated waste management sub-sector in Kenya.
We need to mobilize finance and technology to empower SGBs in the global climate action framework, advocating for sustainable small business ecosystems and renewable energy integration in agriculture.
Southeast Asia is one of the fastest-growing regions in the world, with a total GDP of over USD 2.7 trillion. However, its progress is threatened by the increasingly adverse impacts of climate change. Entrepreneurship has a leading role in developing solutions to both mitigate and adapt to climate change. This report evaluates the current support ecosystem for climate and environmental entrepreneurs in six developing Southeast Asian countries: Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. Through ANDE's data collection and analysis, this report offers insights on the set of organizations supporting entrepreneurs that aim to address climate change mitigation, adaptation, and non-climate related environmental protection challenges.