If you are planning or have planned a trip to Tanzania, kindly take note on the new law to avoid arrival delays or other complications at the airport. The Prime Minister of Tanzania has recently announced the banning of plastic bags usage in the country as an initiative to fight against plastic pollution.

Effective 1st June 2019, all passengers arriving at any Tanzania airport including tourists can possibly face very heavy fines or imprisonment for up to two years, or both, for using plastic bags in any way, shape or form. Below are a few more details:

• Visitors are advised to avoid packing any plastic bags in their suitcases or in carry-on hand luggage before flying to Tanzania.
• Items purchased at the airport before boarding the aircraft should be removed from plastic bags.  Please check hand luggage before disembarking at entry points and any plastic bags should be left in the plane.
• The ban includes duty-free shopping bags too.
• The transparent “zip-lock” plastic bags that some airlines require passengers to use for keeping liquids, cosmetics, toiletries etc separately in hand baggage are also not permitted to be brought and should be removed and left on the plane before disembarking.

For more info, visit WWF website here.