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Litter Pollution

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 May 2018

Thursday, 24 May 2018

Ceisteanna (189)

Eamon Ryan

Ceist:

189. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the fees a company (details supplied) collects fund litter clean up and litter bin collection in view of the fact that at least 80% of the waste by volume is comprised of packaging. [22919/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The fee structure of the company in question is based on the principle of producer responsibility and is designed to ensure that the cost of recovery of packaging waste is spread on an equitable basis. The fees collected are designed to contribute to national recycling rates in accordance with the amount and type of packaging they place on the market. The fees do not fund litter clean up and litter bin collection.

In 2016, the National Litter Pollution Monitoring System report identified packaging litter as constituting 13.28% of all litter nationally.

Local authorities are responsible for keeping public places that are under their control, including public roads, clear of litter as far as is practicably possible. This includes arranging cleansing programmes, as well as providing and emptying litter bins.

The Litter Pollution Act 1997 provides the statutory framework to combat litter pollution. Under the Act, the primary management and enforcement responsibility rests with Local Authorities, who have a wide range of powers to tackle litter effectively, including “on-the-spot” fines of up to €150 or, on summary conviction, fines up to €4,000, for those who litter.

While rigorous Local Authority enforcement is a part of the solution to littering, I believe that the key to success in tackling litter issues is through awareness raising and education. Education for young people, in particular, through the litter module of the Green Schools Programme which my Department supports each year, is very important.  Since 1997, my Department has allocated in excess €15.4 million to Local Authorities under the Anti-Litter and Anti-Graffiti Awareness Grant Scheme (ALAGS).  Under this Scheme, Local Authorities are responsible for selecting suitable anti-litter awareness projects for funding and deciding on the grant allocations in individual cases. In 2017, I increased funding for this scheme by 28% to €885,000 and I will be maintaining this level of funding for 2018.

I am pleased that consecutive annual National Litter Pollution Monitoring Surveys (see www.litter.ie) have shown that the litter situation is generally improving across the country in recent years.

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