NEMA closes factories in Nairobi, Samburu and Kilifi over pollution concerns
NEMA stressed the importance of complying with environmental regulations to safeguard the environment while conducting industrial activities.
The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has shut down three pyrolysis factories for operating without an environmental impact assessment (EIA).
An EIA assesses a project's potential environmental, social, and economic impacts to promote sustainable growth while minimising harm.
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In a statement on Friday, NEMA announced that it had halted operations at a factory in South C, Nairobi, and two others in Samburu and Kilifi counties.
The authority found the factories guilty of emitting fugitive emissions, poor management of black carbon, and mishandling extracted wires from tyres. As a result, NEMA issued improvement notices and directed them to assess their emissions and ambient air quality.
"The authority issued improvement notices to three pyrolysis plants for emitting fugitive emissions, poor management of black carbon, and improper handling of extracted wires from tyres," NEMA stated.
"In Samburu, the factories were involved in recycling iron and the pyrolysis of waste tyres," it added.
NEMA stressed the importance of complying with environmental regulations to safeguard the environment while conducting industrial activities.
The closures follow last month's shutdown of a wood processing factory in Nakuru for emitting harmful fumes. According to NEMA, the company lacked an emissions licence and pollution control measures, violating the Air Quality Regulations 2024.
Consequently, the company was ordered to cease operations until it met the necessary compliance standards.
"NEMA has shut down the company located in the Ketigoi area, Mau Summit, Kuresoi Sub-County, Nakuru County, after it failed to comply with the conditions of the Environmental Restoration Order issued on 6 August 2024, followed by an inspection conducted on 23 January 2024," read the statement.
"The facility had fugitive emissions visible from various leakages in the boiler area and across the entire facility, causing an uproar among the neighbouring community due to the potential effects of such emissions," NEMA said.
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