KEPRO Calls for Stronger Collaboration to Turn Waste Awareness into Action as Rada Safi Campaign Concludes

By Fride Amiani

NAIROBI, Kenya, September 9, 2026  The Kenya Extended Producer Responsibility Organization (KEPRO) has called for stronger collaboration among government, industry, consumers and players in the waste management sector to transform growing awareness about responsible waste management into measurable action.

The call was made during the conclusion of the KEPRO Rada Safi Media Breakfast, held under the theme “Shifting Mindsets, Driving Action: Communicating a Catalyst for Kenya’s Circular Economy.” The engagement brought together representatives from government, manufacturers, recyclers and other stakeholders to reflect on lessons and impact from the Rada Safi Campaign and Kenya’s transition towards a circular economy.

Opening the engagement, KEPRO Chief Executive Officer James Odongo noted that although the uptake of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is increasing, registration must ultimately translate into meaningful compliance and tangible environmental impact.

“There is incremental uptake of EPR. Manufacturers are registering with Producer Responsibility Organizations, but registration does not always translate into compliance,” Odongo said.

“We have made progress, but there is still work to be done to build a system that is legitimate, effective and delivers for all actors across the value chain.”

Odongo's remarks highlighted the importance of moving beyond awareness and registration towards the full implementation of systems that support responsible production, waste collection, recycling and recovery.

The Rada Safi Campaign was designed to raise awareness about responsible waste management, waste separation and the importance of recognising waste as an economic resource. Through billboards, matatu branding, television, radio, digital platforms, influencers and public engagement, the campaign brought sustainability conversations into everyday spaces.

According to KEPRO, the lessons from the campaign demonstrated that public awareness alone is not enough to create lasting change.

The campaign highlighted a critical challenge: awareness is only the beginning, while lasting change requires behaviour change, supportive systems and collective action.

KEPRO Communications Lead Winnie Chepkorir presented a case study on the Rada Safi Campaign, which focused on raising awareness around responsible waste management, waste separation and the opportunities available when waste is viewed as a valuable resource rather than simply something to be discarded.

The discussion also brought attention to the people working throughout Kenya's waste value chain, particularly those involved in collection, recycling and recovery.

For the recycling sector, participants underscored the economic value of waste and the need to recognise the people whose work sustains the waste management ecosystem.

Richard Kainikia, Secretary General of the Kenya Association of Waste Recyclers (KAWR), said the circular economy begins with recognising the value that exists in materials that would otherwise be treated as waste.

“Waste is material to us. It is a genuine business that relies on supply and distribution just like any other business,” Kainikia said.

“Circular economy begins when someone identifies value in waste.”

He further emphasised the importance of separating waste and keeping recyclable materials free from contamination to improve their value and increase recovery opportunities.

The discussions reinforced the need for an ecosystem approach in which government, producers, consumers, recyclers and the media each play an important role. Participants noted that environmental responsibility should not only be viewed as a sustainability obligation but also as an opportunity to create businesses, jobs and economic value.

The Rada Safi initiative therefore sought to encourage Kenyans to rethink their relationship with waste and understand how individual actions, including proper separation and disposal, contribute to the wider circular economy.

As the campaign concludes, KEPRO is now shifting attention towards the next phase of engagement and action through the 4th KEPRO Annual Circular Packaging Conference (KACPC IV).

Under the message “From Rada Safi to KACPC IV,” KEPRO said the transition marks a move from awareness-building towards dialogue, partnerships and practical solutions.

“Rada Safi started the conversation. KACPC IV takes it forward,” the organisation said.

The conference, scheduled to take place on October 2, 2026, at Hyatt Regency Nairobi, Westlands, will bring together policymakers, business leaders, manufacturers, recyclers, investors, innovators and sustainability champions.

The gathering will be held under the theme: “Sustainable Packaging for a Resilient Future: Innovation. Accountability. Impact.”

KEPRO said the conference will provide a national platform for stakeholders to move beyond awareness and focus on partnerships, innovation, investment and practical action in Kenya's packaging and circular economy landscape.

The organisation is calling on stakeholders across sectors to participate in what it describes as the next chapter in changing mindsets and building systems that support sustainable waste management.

With Kenya continuing to strengthen its EPR framework and circular economy agenda, the conclusion of the Rada Safi Campaign serves as a reminder that communication can start important conversations, but meaningful progress will depend on whether institutions, businesses and citizens turn those conversations into action.

As Odongo noted, progress has been made, but the work of building an effective and inclusive system remains unfinished.