MWE Correspondent
The Government has intensified its fight against environmental pollution after shutting down an illegal plastic bag manufacturing factory in Chanika Mwisho, Dar es Salaam, in a renewed crackdown on businesses violating Tanzania’s ban on plastic carrier bags.
The closure was ordered by the Deputy Minister in the Vice President’s Office (Union and Environment), Reuben Kwagilwa, following an inspection that revealed the factory had been operating in violation of the Plastic Carrier Bags Prohibition Regulations of 2019 and the Environmental Management Act.
Addressing journalists after inspecting the premises, Kwagilwa directed the National Environment Management Council (NEMC) to immediately institute legal proceedings against the factory and ensure that its owners and operators are brought before the courts.
He said the government would not tolerate individuals or companies undermining national efforts to protect the environment, stressing that environmental laws apply equally to all investors regardless of the size of their operations.
The Deputy Minister said the inspection uncovered serious legal and environmental breaches, including the factory’s failure to register its operations with the relevant authorities and its lack of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Certificate, a mandatory requirement before any industrial project begins operations in Tanzania.
He explained that the Environmental Management Act requires every investor to conduct environmental and social impact assessments to determine the potential effects of a project on surrounding communities and ecosystems before production starts.
According to Kwagilwa, bypassing these legal procedures exposes communities and the environment to unnecessary risks while undermining the government’s efforts to promote sustainable industrial development.
He warned that the continued production and circulation of banned plastic carrier bags remains a major environmental threat because such materials do not decompose naturally, allowing them to accumulate in the environment for decades.
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The Deputy Minister noted that plastic waste continues to block drainage systems, contribute to flooding during heavy rains, pollute rivers and oceans, reduce soil productivity and threaten wildlife through ingestion and entanglement.
He added that improperly discarded plastic waste also creates public health risks by encouraging stagnant water that becomes breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other disease-carrying insects.
Kwagilwa urged manufacturers, traders, transporters and consumers to fully comply with the nationwide ban on plastic carrier bags, warning that authorities will continue conducting inspections and enforcement operations across the country.
“Anyone producing, transporting, distributing or using prohibited plastic bags should stop immediately. The government will continue enforcing the law without hesitation, and those found violating it will face the full force of the law,” he said.
The Deputy Minister further encouraged manufacturers to invest in environmentally friendly alternatives that comply with national regulations, saying sustainable production is essential for protecting natural resources while supporting economic growth.
Officials from NEMC accompanying the inspection said enforcement operations against illegal plastic manufacturers will continue as part of broader government efforts to strengthen environmental governance, improve waste management and preserve ecosystems for future generations.
The crackdown reflects Tanzania’s continued commitment to enforcing the plastic bag ban introduced in 2019, a policy that has been widely recognised for reducing plastic pollution while promoting cleaner cities and greater environmental awareness.
