Booming Scrap Metal Business Banned
Scrap metal business has gained popularity in the recent past due to the availability of dealers who are buying the materials.
The ban of the scrap metal business in embu county has come a time when a rise in vandalism where people steal metals for sale has been reported.
The Embu county governor Cecily Mbarire said on Tuesday the move was necessary until fresh vetting of all businesses is done and completed.
Mbarire said that the business was booming due to the ready availability of dealers who were buying the stolen scrap metals.
“I want to announce here and now that all scrap metal businesses have been banned forthwith in Embu county until we do fresh vetting of all businesses,” Mbarire said.
According to Mbarire, the vetting exercise which will be done with the support of the county security team adding that only businesses with legal sources of scrap metal will be opened.
“Once we vet you, ascertain where you get your scrap metal, then we can give you fresh licenses. For now, no more business in scrap metal until you are fully vetted,” Mbarire said.
Booming Scrap Metal Business Banned
“This is because there is a lot of vandalism of government and private properties and that is because there are dealers in Embu county who are buying them.”
Mbarire expressed concern that all the dustbins which had been placed in town had been stolen, adding that there had been an attempt to steal scrap metals from the recently renovated Embu stadium.
The report for the year ended June 2022 said scrap metal dealers were not vetted during the year under review.
The moratorium suspended all activities related to scrap metal dealing until guidelines were formulated to regulate the sector.
In January 2022, the government led by then-president Uhuru Kenyatta foisted a ban on exports, selling, buying, and dealings in scrap metal following high cases of vandalism of critical infrastructure, resulting in taxpayers suffering millions of shillings in losses.
The ban that was lifted months later had also been imposed to curb electricity equipment vandalism.
Booming Scrap Metal Business Banned
