Kirinyaga: Community Health Promoters (CHPs) in Kirinyaga County have called on the government to urgently establish a proper disposal mechanism for disposable diapers, warning that their poor disposal poses serious public health and environmental risks.

According to Kenya News Agency, the promoters say discarded diapers have become a common sight in villages, shopping centres, roadsides, and waterways, largely due to the lack of designated collection points and effective waste management systems. Led by their chairperson, Francis Munene, the CHPs urged both the national and county governments to introduce strict regulations to manage diaper waste.

They argued that disposable diapers are non-biodegradable, contain human waste, and take a longer time to decompose, making them a major environmental hazard. Munene warned that the dumping of diapers in rivers and open spaces could contaminate water sources and trigger outbreaks of waterborne diseases, especially during rainy seasons.

He noted that inadequate garbage collection services have worsened the situation, forcing residents to dispose of diapers in open fields and waterways. “These things called diapers are spread all over as they are thrown in the fields, roads, and waterways haphazardly. We are pleading to the government to help us with the skips tank to ease the management of disposal,” Munene appealed.

The promoters also proposed enhanced public education on proper waste disposal and the installation of designated diaper disposal skips in towns and shopping centers. “Careless disposal of diapers can spread diseases, especially during rainy seasons, and as promoters, we are trying the best to educate the citizens, but uncontrolled disposal keeps increasing,” he regretted.

Another CHP, Martin Waweru, likened the current situation to the pre-ban on plastic carrier bags, saying similar regulatory measures are needed to protect the environment and prevent soil and water contamination. “We are asking both levels of government to come up with mechanisms of making diaper disposal effective, as they did with nylon plastics,” Waweru urged.

The CHPs also called on county authorities to strengthen waste collection services and provide appropriate infrastructure to ensure safe and sustainable disposal of diapers across the county.