GREENPEACE AFRICA CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO ADOPT BOLD REFILL AND REUSE TARGETS AS FESTIVAL SHOWCASES SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVES.
BY NJOKI KARANJA
Nairobi, Kenya.
Greenpeace Africa has urged the Kenyan government to adopt ambitious national targets for refill and reuse systems as a long-term solution to the country’s growing single-use plastics crisis. The call was made on Thursday during the launch of the inaugural Refill and Reuse Festival at the National Museums of Kenya in Nairobi.
Hellen Kahaso Dena, Project Lead for the Pan African Plastics Project at Greenpeace Africa, said Kenya stands to gain both economically and environmentally by shifting to sustainable packaging models that prioritise reuse over disposability.
“Refill and reuse systems are not new to Africa—they are rooted in our culture and have existed since time immemorial,” Dena said. “What is new is the invasion of single-use plastics pushed by corporations prioritising profit over people and the planet. Governments must invest in refill infrastructure and set clear targets that make reuse the norm, not the exception.”
Dena warned that the current “throwaway culture” is costly for governments and taxpayers, citing the billions spent annually on unclogging drainage systems, cleaning rivers, building incinerators, and treating pollution-linked health conditions.
The two-day festival brings together community groups, civil society organisations, innovators, manufacturers and policymakers to showcase practical alternatives to single-use plastics. Exhibitions highlight refill stations, zero-waste product designs, children’s upcycling art competitions, and interactive demonstrations aimed at encouraging families and young people to embrace sustainable practices.
Gerance Mutwol, Plastics Campaigner at Greenpeace Africa, criticised what he termed an overreliance on recycling — arguing that it allows corporations to continue producing plastics while shifting responsibility to consumers and governments.
“Recycling is a distraction,” Mutwol said. “Plastics persist in the environment throughout their lifecycle, leaching harmful chemicals into our soil, water and bodies. Refill and reuse systems prevent pollution at the source. They conserve resources, create jobs and protect public health.”
Running under the theme “Experience, Refill, Reuse: A Sustainable Lifestyle for All,” the festival aims to demonstrate that sustainable living is achievable, affordable and strongly aligned with African cultural values of resourcefulness and community care.
The event will conclude with live music, poetry, storytelling circles and a community refill challenge featuring prizes. Entry is free on both days as organisers seek to encourage broad public participation.
Greenpeace Africa says the festival is only the start of a broader push to drive policy reform and public engagement toward a future free of harmful single-use plastics.
