Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018
2018. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the estimated yield of a plastic bottle levy of 10 cent, on the same model as the plastic bag levy, to be levied on all bottled beverages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34869/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra2019. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the estimated yield of a plastic-lined carton levy of ten cent, on the same model as the plastic bag levy, to be levied on all foods packaged in a plastic-lined carton; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34870/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 2018 and 2019 together.
The potential introduction of economic instruments designed to improve environmental behaviour is being considered in the context of a review of the Environment Fund. I understand that the initial review is very close to finalisation and will be submitted to me in the coming weeks.
Ireland's approach will also have regard to the EU's policy on single-use plastics (SUPs) which was announced in May, and which proposes a range of approaches to tackling the proliferation of plastics that end up as marine litter. These include a provision that Member States must take necessary measures to achieve a significant reduction in the consumption of certain SUPs, including food containers and cups. Such measures may include national consumption reduction targets, measures ensuring that reusable alternatives to those products are made available at the point of sale to the final consumer, and economic instruments to ensure that certain SUPs are not provided free of charge at the point of sale to the final consumer.
It is difficult to estimate the potential revenue that might be generated from the introduction of any environmental levy based on current usage of the product in question as the primary objective of such a levy is to improve environmental behaviour, rather than to generate revenue. The Plastic Bag Levy (PBL), for example, was phenomenally successful in that regard. Following the introduction of the PBL in 2002, there was an immediate and dramatic effect on consumer behaviour as the use of plastic bags by consumers dropped from an estimated 328 bags per person per annum, prior to the levy, to 22 bags per annum by the beginning of 2004. This figure stood at just 8 bags per person per annum in 2016. Furthermore, in 2000 it was estimated that plastic bags constituted 5% of litter, whereas data received from the annual National Litter Pollution Monitoring System (NLPMS) showed that plastic bags constituted just 0.27% of litter in 2017.
It would be my ambition that the introduction of any other environmental levies in the future would have a similarly positive impact on people’s behaviour and, most importantly, on the environment.
