Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 October 2018
500. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he is considering introducing a levy on non-recyclable coffee cups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39991/18]
View answerThe introduction of a levy on non-recyclable single use coffee cups as a measure to improve environmental behaviour is something that I am considering as well as other economic measures in the context of an overall review of the Environment Fund. This review is very close to finalisation and will be submitted to me shortly.
Ireland's approach will also have regard to the EU's policy on single-use plastics (SUPs) which was announced in May, and which proposes a range of approaches to tackling the proliferation of plastics that end up as marine litter. These include a provision that Member States must take necessary measures to achieve a significant reduction in the consumption of certain SUPs, including food containers and cups. Such measures may include national consumption reduction targets, measures ensuring that reusable alternatives to those products are made available at the point of sale to the final consumer, and economic instruments to ensure that certain SUPs are not provided free of charge at the point of sale to the final consumer.
It is difficult to estimate the potential revenue that might be generated from the introduction of any environmental levy based on current usage of the product in question as the primary objective of such a levy is to improve environmental behaviour, rather than to generate revenue. The Plastic Bag Levy (PBL), for example, was phenomenally successful in that regard. Following the introduction of the PBL in 2002, there was an immediate and dramatic effect on consumer behaviour as the use of plastic bags by consumers dropped from an estimated 328 bags per person per annum, prior to the levy, to 22 bags per annum by the beginning of 2004. This figure stood at just 8 bags per person per annum in 2016. Furthermore, in 2000 it was estimated that plastic bags constituted 5% of litter, whereas data received from the annual National Litter Pollution Monitoring System (NLPMS) showed that plastic bags constituted just 0.27% of litter in 2017.
I am determined that the introduction of any other environmental levies in the future should have a similarly positive impact on people’s behaviour to protect our environment.
