Effective 01 June 2019 all plastic (single-use polythene) bags will be banned in Tanzania.
Manufacture, using or importation of plastic bags, including garbage bags and shopping bags will be illegal and therefore tourists can face very heavy fines when using/importing plastic bags.
Plastic bags are banned in over 40 countries in Africa already, amongst others Kenya, Botswana, Uganda The Gambia and Rwanda.
The ban also includes duty-free shopping bags. Items purchased at the airport before boarding the aircraft should be removed from plastic bags. Any duty-free bags will be taken away and replaced with either a paper or canvas bag.
The transparant “ziploc bags” that are specifically used to carry toiletries are still allowed in some countries, since they will probably not be disposed of during the trip. Do note in some countries these are banned too!
We advise visitors to avoid packing any plastic bags in their suitcases or in carry-on hand luggage before flying to Africa.
For Tanzania you can check http://vpo.go.tz/travelers-note/
We do hope that you can appreciate this initiative to protect the environment and that any inconveniences will remain minimal.
If you have any questions regarding this or other travel issues please get in touch!
