Rwanda is set to become the first East African country to ban all single-use plastics, which they hope to achieve by 2021. Retailers of single-use plastics have three months to clear their stocks and manufacturers have a two-year deadline.
Following the success of the plastic bag ban in 2008, Rwanda will now prohibit the manufacturing, importation, use and sale of all single-use plastics in an attempt to become the world’s first plastic-free country. There are fines in place if these restrictions are not upheld. Manufacturers of polythene single-use plastics, for example, will be fined up to Rwf 10 million (around USD 10,000), as well as having their trade licence revoked.
