Following Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania, Greenpeace Africa now wants the rest of East Africa to ban single-use plastic carrier bags.
Uganda, Burundi and South Sudan have not banned the bags and smuggling is a problem where such bags are banned.
Nothing has been done about single-use plastic packaging.
On Saturday, Tanzania announced a nationwide ban on the use of plastic bags starting from June 1.
The move follows similar steps by Kenya and Rwanda to phase out non-biodegradable plastics to tackle plastic pollution.
Greenpeace Africa’s senior campaign manager Renee Olende said called Tanzania's decision "a beacon of hope in fostering an environmentally conscious society in the East African region".
Olende called single-use plastics an increasing global environmental threat.
"Their chemical composition, including their additives, poses great risks to the environment, marine life and human health. Greenpeace Africa calls on Tanzania to ensure strict enforcement of the ban," she said.
Kenya banned the use of single-use carrier bags in February 2017, the ban went into effect on August 28 that year.
Manufacturers were given six months to clear their stock.
However, distributors, wholesalers and retailers still complain the time to clear tocks is inadequate. Smuggling is common.
Olende noted Kenya's implementation problems of the ban imposed two years ago.
She urged the East African Legislative Assembly to push for coordinated enforcement of a regional ban across East Africa.
the regional single-use plastic carrier bags ban to achieve effective implementation of the ban across East Africa.
Being found with plastics in Kenya attracts a fine of Sh2 million to Sh4 million or a jail term of one to two years, or both.
Paper, cloth, canvas, sisal, papyrus bags or shoppers’ own bags are the alternatives.
Kenyan is still grappling with how to handle poor-quality alternatives. Following the ban, the Kenyan market was flooded with non-woven polypropylene bags as alternatives.
The bags are more durable and reusable than conventional plastic carrier bags.
However, due to the rising need for the non-woven bags in the market, manufacturers are producing very low gauge, poor quality non-woven bags that cannot be reused and are disposed of after single use.
TheNational Environment Management Authority directed all manufacturers, importers, suppliers and users of these bags to stop further production, import and use of the bags on March 31.
This ban will be effective until the Kenya Bureau of Standards gazettes a standard for quality, reusable f non-woven bags.
(Edited by R.Wamochie)
