Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 May 2021
156. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the steps being taken to improve Ireland’s recycling rate with regard to plastics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23293/21]
View answerThe Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy details the measures that will be adopted to achieve optimum results in the management of plastic waste. These include commitments to: increase plastics recycling rates to 50% by 2025 and 55% by 2030;
- require that, also by 2030, all packaging, including plastic packaging, placed on the Irish market must be reusable or recyclable in an economically viable way through eco-modulation; and
- the introduction of a Deposit and Return Scheme (DRS), which will include plastic bottles, by the third quarter of 2022.
In addition, my Department is well advanced with work extending Irelands official recycling list to incorporate soft plastics, and I look forward to making an announcement in relation to this in due course.
