Lately, Tanzania has been making headlines for very important reasons. From the 1st of June no single use plastic bag will be allowed in the country.

Tanzanian elephant on the Serengeti

They have joined the 31 countries in Africa that have either banned or introduced a levy on plastic bags to control and eventually stop its use.The Republic of Tanzania is a country found in Eastern Africa within the African Great Lakes region.It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; the Comoro Islands at the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to the south;  Zambia to the southwest; and Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west. Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain, is in north-eastern Tanzania. One of the best reasons to visit Tanzania is the amazing wildlife with the Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater being one of the best places in the world.

Pile of garbage

The ban, which comes into effect on 1 June, targets all plastic bags “imported, exported, manufactured, sold, stored, supplied and used”.Nevertheless, plastic or plastic packaging for medical services, industrial products, construction industry, the agricultural sector, foodstuff, sanitary and waste management are not prohibited.Visitors are warned not to bring any plastic bags or items in plastic bags in their suitcase or hand luggage when traveling to Tanzania. At all entry points, special desks will be appointed with the task of verifying that no plastic bag is brought into the territory. If any banned item is brought in, it shall immediately be confiscated.An exception shall be made for zip locks, but only if they are specifically used to carry toiletries, therefore they must stay in their owner’s possession constantly and are never to be disposed of in the country.The Tanzanian government hopes that as they implement the ban, it will not cause any inconveniences to visitors or tourists. On the other hand, they believe that in the comprehension of the need to protect the environment, keep the country clean and beautiful, all visitors shall willingly accept these light disruptants, results of the plastic bag ban.

If you are planning to take a trip to Tanzania, follow these simple rules and don’t bring any plastic bags. If the country is clean green and not polluted it’s a win-win for you as a visitor but also for its native citizens. It’s always more pleasant to be in a beautiful, natural space than a dirty polluted one.