Since 1 June 2019, Tanzania has banned single-use plastic carrier bags. The ban covers making, selling, importing and using them, and it applies to visitors too. It also applies in Zanzibar, which banned plastic bags even earlier.
What is banned
- Plastic carrier bags from shops and supermarkets.
- Plastic bags in your luggage, such as those used to pack shoes or clothes.
- Duty-free shopping bags, if they are plastic carriers.
What is allowed
- Clear zip-lock bags for liquids in hand luggage, as required by airport security. Keep them in your luggage and take them home.
- Plastic packaging on products, such as medicine or food packets.
- Rubbish bags used by hotels and camps for waste.
Airport checks
Officials may check luggage on arrival, especially at Kilimanjaro and Dar es Salaam airports. If they find plastic bags, you will be asked to leave them. Fines are possible, though visitors are usually just asked to hand bags over. Remove duty-free plastic bags before you land.
What to pack instead
- Fabric shopping bags or tote bags.
- Packing cubes or dry bags for clothes and shoes.
- Waterproof dry bags for safari dust and Kilimanjaro rain.
- A reusable water bottle. Most camps and lodges offer filtered water.
Why it matters
Plastic bags had blocked drains, harmed livestock and wildlife, and littered parks and beaches. The ban is part of a wider effort to keep Tanzania’s landscapes clean. Many lodges have also cut single-use plastic bottles.
See the Tanzania safari packing list and the Kilimanjaro packing list.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Single-use plastic carrier bags have been banned since 1 June 2019, including for visitors.
Clear zip-lock bags for toiletries are generally allowed. Take them home with you.
Yes. Zanzibar banned plastic bags before the mainland.
