Waste Management

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 May 2018

Thursday, 24 May 2018

Ceisteanna (191, 192, 193)

Eamon Ryan

Ceist:

191. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the steps he is taking to reduce the amount of plastic packaging generated (details supplied). [22921/18]

Eamon Ryan

Ceist:

192. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the steps he is taking to improve the recycling rate for plastic packaging in view of the fact that the plastic packaging recycling rate correspondingly has decreased from 47% to 34% in the years from 2011 to 2015. [22922/18]

Eamon Ryan

Ceist:

193. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the steps he is taking to increase the incentive for packaging producers to reduce plastic packaging. [22923/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment

I propose to take Questions Nos. 191 to 193, inclusive, together.

I recently wrote to the European Commissioner with responsibility for the environment to welcome the EU plastics strategy. I assured him Ireland fully embraced the ambitions of the new strategy. I asked the Commission to focus, in particular, on the most difficult non-recyclable plastics such as soft wrapping, film and single use items.

In addition, Ireland has supported the adoption of a set of ambitious measures to make EU waste legislation fit for the future, as part of the EU's wider circular economy policy. The new recycling and landfilling targets set a credible and ambitious path for better waste management in Europe. The new EU Circular Economy Legislative Package, which was published this week, (http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-3846_en.htm) includes a new recycling rate of 55% for plastic packaging waste by 2035, which will help drive real progress towards the circular economy, and an ability for Producer Responsibility schemes to 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.

The statistic referred to in the question is based on our national packaging waste return, which we are obliged to provide by 30 June every year to the European Commission. While I am not disputing the figure quoted, I am aware that the manner in which these statistics are reported differs from Member State to Member State. The recent EPA research call includes a study to examine how we compile our packing waste statistics compared to other Member States. The waste characterisation study which is used as part of the return is from 2008. The new waste characterisation study taking place at the moment with funding from my Department will show the current picture of what materials are disposed of in bins in Ireland.  This report, when completed, will affect future EU reports around packaging waste returns.

In relation to incentivising packaging producers to reduce the amount of plastic, our national producer responsibility scheme (Repak) is tasked with managing packaging in Ireland.  It works with its members (including all the major retailers) to identify ways to reduce or optimise packaging.  Repak 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 to reduce their fees. To assist members to optimise their packaging, Repak employ packaging technologists who work with their member companies. The technologists look for ways to optimise the packaging used and to minimise any resulting packaging waste. Repak’s Prevent and Save initiative has worked with Irish business to reduce packaging and to promote packaging improvements across industry. Further information can be found on www.repak.ie/preventandsave.