NEMA has dismissed claims that they have asked police officers to check people's cars for plastic bags.
There are reports that officers are making random stops in conjunction with NEMA officials to check for plastic bags in cars.
But communications director Evans Nyabuto said the officers were just looking for cars with non-compliance to traffic rules.
"We have not issued an order of the inspection of cars by traffic police. Traffic police work under NTSA and KENHA," he said.
The environmental agency further clarified that they are not arresting anyone yet, noting that they will issue statement regarding disposal of plastic bags.
"Today we are all over the country with much focus on awareness creation. The full implementation begins tomorrow," it said via Twitter on Monday.
The National Environment Management Authority today flagged off its inspectors and environment police to inspect whether manufacturers have complied with the plastic bag ban.
The ban takes effect today and consumers will be forced to embrace eco-friendly substitutes to avoid attracting fines of between Sh2 million and Sh4 million, or a jail term of between one and two years, or both.
All manufacturers and importers had until today to declare all their remaining stocks to NEMA for necessary action.
The officers will also be making sure the plastic bags are not on sale at the counter or given freely outside the industrial setting.
Environment CS Judi Wakhungu banned the bags through a February 27 Gazette notice. She also prohibited manufacture and importation of all plastic bags for commercial and household packaging.
Manufacturers were given six months to clear their stock.
Kenya joins more than 40 other countries that have banned, partly banned or taxed single use plastic bags, including China, France, Rwanda, and Italy.
Many bags drift into the ocean, strangling turtles, suffocating seabirds and filling the stomachs of dolphins and whales with waste until they die of starvation.
"If we continue like this, by 2050, we will have more plastic in the ocean than fish," said Habib El-Habr, an expert on marine litter working with the UN Environment Programme in Kenya.
More on this: Kenya imposes world's toughest law against plastic bags
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