Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 May 2017
599. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the extent to which he has studied the effect of various plastics on the environment with particular reference to the best way to deal with the situation in its various forms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22161/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraOur use of plastic has increased exponentially in recent decades. Plastics feature across a wide range of applications and products, such as packaging, construction, electrics and electronics, agriculture, medical and health. In Ireland, the latest statistics available show 55% of all plastic waste was sent to landfill in 2011. The last waste characterisation study showed that 12.4% of our household waste, by weight, was plastic. My Department is funding the EPA to undertake new characterisation work this year and new figures will be available over the coming 12 months.
Plastic packaging waste represents a significant element of our plastic waste. Under the EU Packaging Directive, 22.5% of plastic packaging must be recycled. The most recent waste packaging statistics show that Ireland has met and exceeded this target, reaching 40% for plastic packaging recycling.
It should also be noted that waste collectors are obliged under waste management legislation to ensure that specified plastics are collected from households for the purpose of facilitating the recycling of such material.
My Department provides funding to the EPA for the commissioning of research and is providing €8.75 million for this purpose in 2017. A number of studies on plastics have been completed through this funding stream. This year, the EPA has commissioned a study to identify the sources and pathways of microplastics into our river systems and also to ascertain the harm caused to aquatic lifeforms.
Ireland has worked to address the issue of plastics in the environment and was the first EU country to address the issue of plastic bags which were a significant component of litter. The introduction of the plastic bag levy has resulted in reductions from an estimated 328 bags-per-person per-year, prior to the introduction of the levy, to 12 bags-per-person per-year in 2015, of bags subject to the levy. The EU has since introduced an amendment to the Packaging Directive to control plastic bags.
At a European level, the European Commission is preparing a Plastics Strategy for publication later this year as part of its Action Plan on the Circular Economy. The Strategy is intended to address issues such as recyclability, biodegradability, hazardous substances of concern in certain plastics.
On marine litter specifically, the Government will continue to work with partners to reduce the amount of plastic entering the riverine and marine environments as litter. My colleague, the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, recently committed to introducing legislation which will prohibit the manufacture and sale of certain ‘rinse down the drain’ products containing plastic microbeads and is supporting related research in the matter.
