Activists in Kenya demand crackdown on unsafe glass bottle reuse by beverage firms 

KENYA – Human rights and environmental activists are calling on the Ministry of Health to urgently address what they describe as a looming public health and environmental crisis caused by the unregulated reuse of glass bottles by beverage manufacturers in Kenya. 

At a press conference in Mombasa, advocacy groups led by Caleb Ngwena of the Genesis for Human Rights Commission called for an immediate ban on unsupervised bottle reuse and urged Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale to introduce stringent regulations.  

Their demands include mandatory audits, clear labelling of reused bottles, and the implementation of a recycling model that involves melting and reprocessing glass under sanitary conditions. 

Ngwena revealed that some manufacturers are collecting used bottles from dumpsites, open sewers, and informal waste collection areas—locations with high exposure to contaminants.  

“This is a crisis in waiting. Beverage companies are putting lives at risk by using bottles gathered from the filthiest of places, with no guarantee that they are properly sterilised or handled under safe conditions,” he said. 

A report compiled by a network of civil society organisations revealed serious hygiene lapses. Laboratory tests on reused bottles showed contamination by harmful bacteria including Salmonella and E. coli, as well as traces of fungi, pesticides, and heavy metals. Campaigners say these risks are being overlooked by regulators. 

Key issues raised include the absence of standardised cleaning protocols, the reuse of bottles from unsanitary sources, and a lack of oversight by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and county health departments. 

Diana Adhiambo from Vocal Environmental Conservation stressed that the petition is not anti-business but a call for responsible production.  

“Kenyans deserve to know that what they are drinking isn’t coming from a bottle that sat in sewage or a rubbish heap,” she said. 

The coalition of advocacy groups has issued a two-week ultimatum for the government to respond. Should there be no action, they plan to escalate the matter through legal action and petition the National Assembly’s Health Committee. 

The petition is backed by several grassroots and national organisations, including Better Environmental Rights, Suluhisho Environment CBO, Peoples Movement for Human Rights, and Prepared Society. 

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