Brian Stanley (Laois, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Essentially, what we are doing here is addressing the issue that everything is cyclical. Gone are the days when one could wash things down the sink and hope that they disappear without any consequences. Gone are the days when one could pump out pollution into the atmosphere and hope that it disappears in outer space without any consequences. Gone are the days where one could product tonnes of waste and hope that it would be taken away on the back of a truck to God knows where. Everything we do has consequences. I compliment Deputy Seán Sherlock for bringing forward this Bill.

On the product we are talking about here, we are dealing with a problem that we should not have to deal with. It is totally avoidable. These micro-plastics are being put into everyday products, such as soaps, gels, cosmetics, deodorant and toothpaste. It is basically to glamorise products in what is the most profitable sector of the lot, but what is the end result from this waste? It is having a detrimental effect on our environment, particularly our waters and fish life. Tens of thousands of them go into the waste stream and thousands of tons of it into the oceans.

It is a product that is consumed by fish, particularly shell fish. It is reported in some areas that up to a quarter of fish contain these plastics. If this was not bad enough in itself, we must remember that these mircoplastics can then further enter the human food chain. If we are not too concerned about fish, we should start thinking about human beings. The UN has reported that it is a growing threat to human health, causing physical damage and having a toxic effect, among other things causing reproductive problems. We must remember that, behind the potential damage to human and wildlife health, the logic of the inclusion of this product is simply as a supposed beauty enhancer. Everybody is supposed to look like they do in Hollywood, but, of course, we can just be ourselves.

America, strangely enough, has been phasing out this product since July of last year. In Canada, microbeads have been added to the list of toxic substances since June 2016. In Tory Britain, there was the announcement of plans to ban this in cosmetics and personal care products by 2017. There is a growing number of countries wanting to ban them. Holland, Austria, Luxembourg, Belgium and Sweden all have called for an EU-wide ban.

This is about protection of the environment around us to enhance and project our green image. There is the question about Ireland. Ireland should be taking a lead here. We go on a lot about our green image and how environmentally friendly we are. There are areas such as this where we can lead out and be ahead of the curve, but we are actually behind the curve. We are not yet even off the starting blocks.

As my colleague, Deputy Quinlivan, has referred to, there was a Bill from the Green Party which the Government opposed. We should be well ahead with this. It is a pity the Green Party Bill was not supported at the time. The Bill we have here is clear at any rate and if there are problems with it, we can amend it on Committee Stage.

The Minister, Deputy Coveney, launched a public consultation process on the prohibition, sale, and manufacturing or importing of products such as microbeads. As with so many other matters, it is merely consultation. We know this is harmful. It is unnecessary. What is the point in it? All one has to do is leave it on the supermarket shelves. That is what I started doing since I became aware of this problem. Like many others, up to a couple of years ago I was picking it up, then I twigged when I read an article about it that this was harmful and now I leave it on the supermarket shelf.

It is harmful, totally unnecessary and we should take action on it. This House has it within its powers to do that. We should not wait for the EU. We should not wait for any other country. We should start here, protect fish life, protect our environment and protect human health. We are supporting the Bill.

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