The Retail Bags Report - List of Retail Bag Policies - Africa | Division of Waste Management

	Ethiopia
	• In 2008, the Ethiopian government passed a new law (Proclamation 513) that bans the manufacture and import of plastic bags less than 0.33mm in thickness. [updated 12-01-09]

Ghana

• Ghana has proposed a thickness rule on plastic bags. The outcome of this proposal is not known at this time.

• In July 2004 the Ghanaian government created a Recycling Taskforce to hire waste collectors to collect and deliver plastic bags to warehouses for recycling. The plastic producers are required to help fund the project. One quote regarding plastic bags in Ghana: ?Plastic waste has had a terrible impact on tourism, particularly on the beaches east of Accra, where rain water carries the waste,? Ghana?s Tourism Minister Jake Obetsebi Lamptey told the IRIN News Service. ?And the visible mountains of refuse in Accra give foreign tourists the impression that Ghana is a filthy country.? [added 12-01-09]

	Kenya
	• In January 2008, the country of Kenya applied a thickness rule to plastic bags.

	Lesotho
	• Lesotho has proposed a thickness rule on plastic bags. The outcome of this proposal is not known at this time.

	Rwanda
	• In 2005 the Rwandan government banned plastic bags outright.

	Somaliland
	• Somaliland, an autonomous region of Somalia has banned plastic bags completely as of March 2005.

	South Africa
	• In 2003, the country of South Africa applied a thickness rule to plastic bags.

Tanzania

• In 2006, Tanzania banned plastic bags.

	Zanzibar
	Zanzibar, a city within Tanzania, banned plastic bags in 2006.

	Uganda
	• In June 2007, Uganda imposed a thickness rule on plastic bags.

DEP Recycling Main Page

Information about retail bag regulation activities is changing constantly. We welcome your input. If you have additional sources, or updates to current information on this website, please email
Johanna.Poston@dep.state.fl.us.

Last updated: December 01, 2009