Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 28 March 2018

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government

Prohibition of Micro-Plastics Bill 2016: Discussion (Resumed)

9:30 am

Mr. Conall O'Connor:

I thank the Senator. To reassure her, one of the reasons we are so stretched is that we are working very hard to deal with the marine litter problem generally. It is the central marine environmental concern, although loss of biodiversity and habitat is also a very serious concern. In many respects, it is the new climate change problem. People are realising we have created an enormous problem with this wonder substance that was developed in the 1950s. It has the tremendous property of being able to last forever and is water resistant, etc. It is used on a disposable basis. These are, however, the very properties that make it problematic in the environment. We now realise the marine and other environments are replete with this problem. The marine strategy framework directive includes specific targets to deal with marine litter. We are required to achieve what is called "good environmental status" using the different criteria included in the directive. We are also working under OSPAR, the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic, and on different actions to deal with this probelm with the OSPAR intercessional group on marine litter. It is a constant iterative process and new evidence is emerging all the time, to which we are responding transnationally and nationally.

The legislation to address microbeads will deal with one aspect of the problem, but a range of other measures will have to be put in place in the coming years. They will have societal implications, affect how we live and deal with things across Ireland, Europe and globally. For example, dealing with microfibres will be problematic because in washing artificial fabrics microfibres are generated. The plastic ropes used in plastic nets break down into fibres. The measures that will ultimately be needed to deal with things such as this will have societal implications. We will have to bring society along with us globally.

We fully accept what the Senator is saying. As I said, one of the reasons we are so stretched is that we are trying to deal with so many measures, but we are happy that we now have the resources to work on this specific legislation.

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