Abstract
Single use plastic bags (SUPB) consumption soared with industrialization, spreading all over the world, and becoming the leading face of plastic pollution. Kenya adopted a SUPB ban in 2017 prohibiting manufacturing, importation, distribution, and usage. Current research indicate that the non-woven polypropylene (NWPP) bag is the most preferred bag in the country. Using life cycle assessment (LCA) a comparative environment impact, reuse potential and waste reduction effect was performed to assess the ban. The SUPB was adopted as the reference bag and NWPP as the main alternative and including woven PP bag (WPP) from cradle to gate. Process contribution results indicate for all bags, material extraction occurring outside the country primarily dominates GWP and fossil depletion while ozone depletion, particulate matter formation and human toxicity dominate bag production and distribution. For all emissions, SUPB has the least environmental impact since it is the lightest and WPP the highest, at the point of production and delivery. In terms of waste reduction, the substitution effect in waste reduction for the bags ranged from 98% to 67% with incremental usage of reusable bags from 2 bags to 21 bags. This suggests consistency in reuse to attain waste reduction and offset their environmental impacts.
