Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 December 2018
542. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the measures he will take to discourage the use of non-biodegradable plastics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53459/18]
View answer543. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a means can be found to incentivise a reduction in the use of plastic wrappings and containers that are non-biodegradable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53460/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 542 and 543 together.
Ireland uses the extended producer responsibility model for dealing with waste packaging. Repak, the national producer responsibility scheme for packaging, is a not for profit organisation which charges fees to its members in accordance with the amount and type of packaging they place on the Irish market. These fees are used to subsidise the collection and recovery of waste packaging through registered recovery operators across Ireland. Because Repak members pay fees based on the amount of packaging they place on the market, this incentivises them to reduce packaging where possible and in so doing, reduce their fees.
In addition, Repak will modulate costs for individual products or groups of similar products, by taking into account their durability, reparability, re-usability and recyclability and the presence of hazardous substances.
At EU level, the first-ever Europe-wide strategy on plastics has been adopted. The strategy envisages that all plastic packaging on the EU market will be recyclable by 2030 and the consumption of single-use plastics will be reduced. The strategy is underpinned by a proposed directive for the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment. I am working closely with the Commission and other Member States in the development of this proposal. Once finalised, this proposal will enable me to introduce concrete measures to reduce, and in some cases, ban the use of single use plastics.
