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What Kenya can learn from these African countries that have tried to ban plastics
Over 15 African countries have either banned or taxed the use of plastic shopping bags.
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The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources in conjunction with the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) announced the plastic ban through a gazette notice early this year to be effected come August 28th.
“Kenya is taking decisive action to remove an ugly stain on its outstanding natural beauty,” said Erik Solheim, Head of UN Environment.
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Here are a few African countries Kenya can learn from as it kicks off its campaign to rid Kenya of plastics.
Rwanda
This has to be the most successful story of a plastic ban in the world.
Rwanda has been plastic bag free since 2008; the country completely banned plastic bags when other countries around the world started imposing taxes on plastic bags.
And as a result of the ban, Rwanda is one of the greenest and cleanest city in the world.
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Lack of plastics has also seen the eco-tourism industry rise, boosting the economy. Kenya can learn a thing or two on how to restore Kenya's capital city to its former glory as Africa's 'city in the sun'.
Eritrea
This country found in the Horn of Africa banned plastic bags in 2005.
Plastic bags have been replaced by the cotton and nylon bags which Eritreans have no choice but to adapt to or face jail terms, fines or both.
Mauritania
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Mauritania banned the use, manufacture and importation of plastic bags in 2013 to protect the environment and the lives of land and sea animals.
More than 70% of cattle and sheep that used to die in the capital, Nouakchott, were being killed by eating plastic bags, environment ministry official Mohamed Yahya told BBC Afrique.
Anyone using, manufacturing or importing plastic bags in this country can be fined or sentenced to a year in prison.
Tanzania
Kenya’s neighbour introduced a nationwide ban on plastic bags in 2006 while Zanzibar Island banned plastic bags in 2005.
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In 2007, Uganda introduced legislation to ban the sale of lightweight plastic bags under 30µm thick and taxes thicker bags at a punitive rate of 120 percent.
In 2014 Cameroon outlawed disposable plastic bags while in April 2015, Senegal’s National Assembly unanimously prohibited the production, importation, possession and use of plastic shopping bags.
In 2016, Morocco, Africa’s second largest consumer of plastic bags, affected a law banning the use of plastic bags.
Botswana introduced a levy on plastic bags ten years ago but has had challenges in implementing it, while in South Africa, lightweight plastic bags are banned and thicker plastic bags are taxed.
Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Ethiopia Malawi and Tunisia are just some of other African countries that have limited the use, adopted or announced bans on the use of plastic shopping bags.
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