Travel advisory: Tanzania bans single-use plastic bags

The Government of Tanzania has announced a strict ban on plastic bags in the country. The ban, which came into effect on 1 June, prohibits the manufacture, importation, and use of all single-use plastic bags including shopping and garbage bags. Offenders could face heavy penalties including fines and possible jail term.

In an Institute-wide email, IITA Deputy Director General, Corporate Services (DDG-CS), Hilde Koper-Limbourg, urged staff to take note of the ban as it affects tourists and other travelers to the East African country.

Travel company Rickshaw Travel Group advised visitors and residents alike to remove all plastic bags, including the transparent “zip-lock” bags, from their suitcases or carry-on luggage before flying to Tanzania. They added, “Items purchased at the airport before boarding the aircraft should be removed from plastic bags.”