Waste Reduction Bill 2017 should proceed to Third Stage consideration, Climate Action & Environment Committee finds in report

Sponsors of the Bill Eamon Ryan TD and Catherine Martin TD would be amenable to accepting an amendment at Committee Stage to amend the Bill from seeking a ban on disposable non-compostable tableware to the introduction of a levy on disposable, non-compostable coffee cups. The sponsors are also amenable to a Committee Stage amendment to specify that a Deposit Return Scheme (DPS) should be introduced which would include aluminium cans as well as plastic containers, but not glass containers.

The Committee notes that the Minister may consider proposing a Committee Stage amendment to give him the discretion to introduce a DRS Scheme rather than the current mandatory nature of the Bill in the light of his desire to carry out the necessary research into a model that may be fit for purpose in Ireland and does not increase costs or have effects on the existing kerbside collection system.

Committee Chair Hildegarde Naughton TD said: “The Dáil referred the Waste Reduction Bill 2017 [PMB] to the Committee on 11 July 2017. The Committee held two public hearings on this Bill on 17 and 23 January 2018, hearing evidence from numerous stakeholders and officials from the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment.

"I would like to thank and commend Eamon Ryan TD and Catherine Martin TD for sponsoring the Bill. I would also like to thank all the individuals and groups who contributed to our consideration of this Bill, including those who made submissions as well as those who appeared before the Joint Committee.”

Read the Committee report here.