Anybody lately experiences with plastic bags there? Still forbidden and in case that - how does it work - are all plastic bags forbidden, even small ones you use for wrapping shower gel or other liquids to prevent damages in case of leakage during travel? Do they scrutinise your luggage at the airport or land boarders or do they handle it relaxed if you are a traveller?
1
fulana
Fordbidden,
Small ones ok, like the ones you need on flight. I have not experienced any checking at Kigali airport but at Kamembe airport they have checked my luggage (though not for plastic bags I believe). At Ciangugu border they check plastic bags every time, at Ruzizi or Kamanyola never so far.
2
jepperobert
I got my backpack searched for plastic bags at Ruhangeri. But it is very occasional they do it
They are looking for the bags made of thing plastic that is flooding the streets of Uganda (and probably other E-africans countries too). The kind of bags you can't avoid collecting all the time in Uganda.
Most other plastic bags they are okay with. Especially if they are reusable.
3
carl08
Thanks for the answers. So they are probably aiming at the small black ones the street vendors all over Africa use and less to the big ones you get in the western-style malls - did get it right?
4
fulana
Biodegradable are ok. Basically all PE plastic bags are forbidden. Including the Western ones.
5
jamesbrett
i've heard rumors of this checking for black bags stuff, but no one's checked me in 5 or 6 trips in and out over the last two years. i am always crossing by land and generally at rusumo falls.
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7
jepperobert
ked999 - Maybe they have, but they are not suing them in public then.
When buying stuff you get it in paper bags. The result is that the streets are not flooded with wasted plastic bags like in the neighboring countries.
The streets in Rwanda are extremely clean, partially because of this... And it's much better for the environment too.
8
orion_mike
Regardless of who does or does not have them I think this policy should be supported - but probably needs a few more posts with accounts of what type of plastic bags are permitted and which ones are forbidden. I saw a video in Libia about 3-4 years ago and the highway out of town was sea of plastic bags.
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