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Some environmental researchers in Kilifi county have now warned the public against using recycled plastic products, insisting that they contain higher level of toxic chemicals which are harmful to the human, animal and environmental health.

They said recycled plastic are more toxic than their virgin constituents.

Addressing journalist in Kilifi town, Pwani University Associate Professor in the department of environmental science and one of the researchers, Prof Okeyo Bernards (pictured) said that the toxicity of plastic actually increases with recycling.

“For decades, recycling has been used as the best option in reducing the quantity of plastics materials in the environment but in terms of the chemical pollution and toxicity, they are more harmful than their virgin constituents,” he said.

He said that plastics have no place in a circular economy saying that the best possible way to manage plastic pollution is to massively reduce plastic production.

“I am advising residents to stop taking hot tea using plastic utensils or burning plastic waste under normal temperature instead they should set-aside the waste and let it be collected by the county designated workers who have incineration structures for burning such waste materials,” said Okeyo.

Many plastic industries including fossil fuel, petrochemical and consumer goods companies are still advocating for plastic recycling as the best possible solution to the plastic pollution crisis.

The Pwani University don said plastics are responsible for a wide range of health impacts including cancers and birth defects.

He adds that plastic production factory workers are at the high risk of those diseases.

“These workers suffer silently and majority are at high risk of diseases such as brain breast cancer, leukaemia and decreased fertility,” added Okeyo.

Moses Ndirangu, an expert in microplastics and a lecturer at Pwani University said a number of residents living to adjacent plastic production and waste disposal sites suffer cases such as premature birth, low birth weight, astma, child leukaemia and lung cancer.

He recommended that a global plastic agreement be implemented and fully executed to control manufacturers and the use of plastic so as to reduce environmental health impacts.