Ban on plastic bags in National Parks

After Botswana, Namibia is next, no more plastic bags in the National Parks and a fine if you do. Thumbs up for Namibia!

The Ministry wishes to inform the nation and our visitors that plastic bags are banned with immediate effect in our protected areas (national parks).

Legislation (Nature Conservation Bylaw of 1975) was amended in April 2017 with a new provision that no one may enter a game park or nature reserve with a plastic bag.

We call upon the sector, which includes tour operators and the Namibia Tourism Board, to inform their clients or customers about this new restriction.

This prohibition is specific to plastic carrier bags that are often used for shopping, as the amendment makes exceptions for plastics that:

1. Are designed to be used for the removal of waste materials;
2. Designed for agricultural purposes;
3. Used for sampling or analysis;
4. Forming packaging or being an integral part of the packaging in which goods are sealed prior to sale on the local market or for export:
5. Transparent resealable bags.

Anyone who breaches this prohibition may be liable to a fine of up to N $ 500, or a prison sentence of up to six months, or both a fine and a prison sentence.

The ministry will ramp up its efforts to enforce this ban in the coming months.

Namibia's wildlife parks and nature reserves are areas of outstanding natural and ecological value.

They are managed to protect their ecological integrity and for the long-term conservation of nature.

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