Rwanda prohibited the manufacture, import, use and sale of polythene bags by Law No. 57/2008 of 10 September 2008, one of the first national bans in the world, and enforces it with searches at borders and airports. Law No. 17/2019 of 10 August 2019, published in Official Gazette No. 37 bis and in force from 23 September 2019, repealed the 2008 law and extended the prohibition to plastic carry bags and a wider range of single-use plastic items including bottles, straws and packaging, with exemptions granted by permit through Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) and a two-year transition for existing factories.
Rwanda's monthly community clean-up (umuganda) and strict enforcement are often cited as reasons Kigali is among the cleanest cities in Africa.
Status as at September 2026: in force under the 2019 law. Dates verified against Law No. 17/2019 as published on RwandaLII and REMA's authorisation page on 23 September 2026.