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Blockchain Technology and Implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility in Plastic Waste Management in Nairobi City County, Kenya
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Researchers surveyed 137 stakeholders in Nairobi to assess how blockchain technology could strengthen Kenya's newly mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations for plastic waste, finding that tracking mechanisms, smart contracts for automated compliance, and token-based reward systems are the strongest predictors of improved producer accountability and plastic lifecycle traceability.
Blockchain technology has emerged as a transformative tool in plastic waste management, offering decentralized solutions that enhance transparency, traceability and compliance. Previously, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in Kenya operated on a voluntary basis; however, the enactment of the Sustainable Waste Management (Extended Producer Responsibility) Regulations 2024 (Legal Notice 176/2024) made EPR mandatory for producers of plastic waste. Despite this regulatory shift, implementation has faced challenges including free-riding, non-compliance with EPR fee payments and weak regulatory enforcement. This study examined how decentralization of data fosters transparency in producer accountability, how tracking mechanisms improve plastic traceability, the potential of smart contracts to automate compliance and enforcement and how reward token mechanisms incentivize proper plastic disposal. These elements were analyzed in relation to their influence on payment of EPR fees, reporting of plastic waste volumes and end-to-end tracking of plastic across its lifecycle. A descriptive and exploratory research design was used. The target population comprised 250 stakeholders from NEMA, PROs (KEPRO and PAKPRO), blockchain experts and producers of plastic waste. Purposive and stratified random sampling produced a sample size of 152 respondents, from whom 137 valid responses were obtained, representing a 90.13% response rate. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, coded and analyzed using SPSS version 26. Descriptive statistics were generated, and multiple regression analysis was used to determine the influence of blockchain features on EPR implementation. The correlation was significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed), while ANOVA results produced a p-value < .001, confirming statistical reliability. The study found that tracking mechanisms significantly strengthen accountability, smart contracts automate compliance and regulatory processes and reward token mechanisms effectively motivate behavioral change among producers, recyclers and consumers. While decentralization of data enhances transparency, it did not show a statistically significant direct influence on EPR outcomes. The study concludes that tracking mechanisms, smart contracts and reward token systems are the strongest predictors of effective EPR implementation and recommends prioritizing their adoption while integrating decentralization as a supportive transparency-enhancing feature. Keywords: Blockchain Technology, Implementation, Producer Responsibility, Plastic Waste Management, Nairobi City County, Kenya
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