Have you already booked a
Tanzania safari to adventure on your next holiday? There are things to note before you fly in for your
Africa safari. Kindly note that Tanzanian government has officially announced a ban on all plastic carrier bags according to a public notice to travelers planning to visit the east African nation.
The country's Vice President, Samia Suluhu, through the Government Communications Unit said authorities in Tanzania had resolved to ban plastic bags with effect from June 1.
The Vice President of Tanzania communicated that “All plastic carrier bags, regardless of their thickness will be prohibited from being imported, exported, manufactured, sold, stored, supplied and used in mainland Tanzania." However, the statement said, plastic or plastic packaging for medical services, industrial products, construction industry, agricultural sector, foodstuff, sanitary and waste management are not prohibited. The latest move comes as no surprise because last month, Tanzania’s Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa in his speech during a budget session in the National Parliament told lawmakers in the capital, Dodoma, that polythene bags will no longer be used for commercial purposes or household packaging, and warned producers and suppliers to dispose of their stocks.
How will it be implemented?
Special desks will be designated at all entry points where such banned plastic materials will be surrendered, the statement added. Plastic carrier items known as “ziplo bags” that are specifically used to carry toiletries will be permitted as they are expected to remain in the permanent possession of visitors and are not expected to be disposed in the country.
Does this affect tourism in Tanzania?
“The government does not intend for visitors to Tanzania to find their stay unpleasant as we enforce the ban. However, the government expects that, in appreciation of the imperative to protect the environment and keep our country clean and beautiful, our visitors will accept minor inconveniences resulting from this plastic bags ban,” the statement reads in part.
What are the dangers of plastic?
“Plastic is a number one polluter of environment and a silent killer of our natural environment and resources than most people understand,” Ngusaru said. “This is because it takes more than a hundred years for a single plastic bag to decay. Plastic bags, which take hundreds of years to degrade, are a major global issue as they, among others, contribute to flooding and prevent crops from growing because rainwater cannot penetrate the soil when it is littered with plastics. We are happy that Tanzania is among the very few African countries to ban the use of plastic bags and we will work hard toward supporting the government in the fight against plastic pollution”.
By effecting the ban, Tanzania now joins Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi in mitigating the effects of plastic bags waste.
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water rafting safari Jinja, boat cruises, a
horse-riding safari Jinja, a
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