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CASE STUDY
Plastics Ban in Rwanda
Rwanda, a mountainous country in East Africa and often referred
to as the country of a thousand hills, set an example to the rest
of the world in reducing plastic pollution when the Government
decided to ban non-biodegradable polythene bags (FAOLEX,
2008). The manufacture, sale, import and use of plastic bags is
forbidden and visitors’luggage is examined on arrival in Rwanda,
to prevent plastic bags being brought into the country.
The main driver behind the ban was the fact that Rwanda lacked
the means to sustainably manage plastic waste, triggering
serious health and environmental risks. The bags littered the
surroundings, clogged drainage systems causing floods during
the rainy season, and released toxic fumes when people burnt
their waste.
The lawwas part of the‘Vision 2020’plan to transform the country
into a sustainable, knowledge-based, middle-income nation
by the year 2020 (Government of Rwanda, 2013). In addition to
enacting the law, the Government has invested in awareness
campaigns on television and in schools to instil an environmental
consciousness among its citizens (Van der Poel, 2013). The
measures seem to have worked: while the rest of the world is
struggling to reduce plastic production and pollution, Rwanda
has been praised for its environmental protection measures and
the capital, Kigali, has a reputation of being the cleanest city in
Africa, which contributed to the city receiving the UN Habitat
Scroll of Honour Award in 2008.
The ban has also boosted the economy. Companies that used to
produce plastic receive tax incentives to recycle it instead and a
new community-based market was created for environmentally-
friendly bags made from local materials. The country has also
seen a large increase in tourism, which has been partly attributed
to Rwanda’s clean reputation.
The fact that Rwanda has managed to eliminate all plastic bags is
an extraordinary achievement in itself. However, not everybody
is happy with the ban; many vendors think that paper bags are
not a good alternative because they tear and are not suitable
for all types of content. There is also a concern now about the
increasing amount of paper bags and no real research has been
done into the costs and benefits of such a ban. As with many
other prohibited goods, there is now a profitable black market in
plastic bags (Dundas et al., 2013).
Kigali, Rwanda.
Photo
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iStock/Sloot