Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020 | 2 a.m.
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The Las Vegas Sun’s Sept. 4 editorial on “big oil” is unfortunately based on a series of false claims and mischaracterizations that have since been traced back to misreporting by The New York Times and Greenpeace/Unearthed.
Industry never suggested that a trade agreement would change Kenya’s bag ban or any other single-use plastic policy. Kenya’s own trade cabinet secretary, Ms. Betty Maina, challenged the accuracy and relevance of the Times reporting: “No such proposal has been brought to the negotiating table,” she told The Star. “Claims in the story are neither here nor there. We will negotiate with U.S. guided by Kenyan laws.”
Allegations that the U.S. chemicals and plastics industry are therefore “interfering” in U.S.-Kenya negotiations are disingenuous.
Like many other groups, the chemicals industry filed public comments and testified at a public hearing — opportunities available to anyone.
Like the freedom of the press, engaging in transparent, civic dialogue is not “interference” but one of the hallmarks of democracy.
Facts matter. By helping Kenya invest in proper waste management infrastructure, Kenya will be in a position to capitalize on new, innovative marketplaces that now see immense potential and value in used plastics.
Capitalizing on this value requires removing plastic waste from Kenya’s environment — not putting more of it in.
