Harmonizing the use of Single-Use Plastics in the East African Community (EAC).

We addressing and bringing attention to the problem of plastic pollution caused by single-use plastic materials and the need for the East African Community to act fast to address the entire lifecycle of plastics.

Single-use plastics create an increased hazard to the East African communities and to the environment. The unregulated production of single-use plastic to wrap fast-consuming goods contributes to ill health, flooding, the climate emergency, and the strong presence of microplastics in our rivers and ocean.

Bio Vision Africa (BiVA) in collaboration with three other NGOs from the East African states of Tanzania, Kenya, and Rwanda conducted a study to investigate illegal manufacture, distribution and trade of SUPs within the East Africa region and the investigations found out that Uganda has approximately 47 plants registered with the Uganda Manufactures Association (UMA) that manufacture single-use plastic carrier bags. Many of these plastic industries are located near big towns such as Kampala, Jinja, Mbale, Mukono and then distribute in many parts of the country, and even smuggle to neighboring Kenya, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan through our porous border points.