Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the EU plastics strategy. My Department and I are fully committed to working with the European Commission and other member states to achieve the ambitions set out in the first ever Europe-wide strategy for plastics, particularly marine litter. We are liaising and co-operating very closely with waste and litter policyholders in the Minister, Deputy Denis Naughten’s Department to develop a co-ordinated and integrated response to the strategy.

I welcome the proposals outlined in the strategy to reduce the amount of plastic waste entering the marine environment. I am particularly pleased with the proposal that all plastic packaging on the EU market be recyclable by 2030. Improved waste and litter management is fundamental in reducing the level of waste that becomes litter. Measures such as the plastics strategy are key marine litter measures for the purposes of the marine strategy framework directive. However, we will also have to work to reduce our consumption of plastic and also emphasise reusable over single use items.

Marine litter is a persistent problem affecting all regions of the world which needs to be addressed urgently. Plastic presents a particular problem. Owing to its buoyancy, it can be carried easily by currents or blown by winds from landward or seaborne sources. It persists in the environment for an extremely long time. It breaks down into secondary microplastic particles and there is a growing body of strong evidence that plastics and microplastics are impacting on marine fauna. As well as being created by the breakdown of larger items, microplastics are entering the marine environment directly in a wide variety of forms, some examples being fibres from artificial textiles or ropes, lost raw material pellets or through tyre wear. Some marine microplastics litter is also caused by plastic microbeads used in cosmetics, cleansing products and detergents.

As plastic marine litter is a transboundary issue, no one country can solve the problem unilaterally.

It is encouraging that the plastics strategy intends for the EU to take a leading role with member states engaging and co-operating to halt the flow of plastics into the oceans as well as taking remedial action against plastic waste already accumulated.

Ireland is actively involved on the international stage in developing measures to address marine litter. Ireland plays an active role on implementation and technical working groups under the marine strategy framework directive. We are also engaged with policy and working groups set up under the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic - the OSPAR Convention - to address the issue of marine litter in the north-eastern Atlantic area. I take great pride is saying that Ireland is a lead country in several of these areas. These actions complement the proposals in the plastics strategy, including those relating to microplastics in wastewater and storm water. Another proposal relates to co-leading an action to identify and assess measures to reduce the impact of single-use items commonly identified as marine litter. My Department is the lead Irish partner in the OceanWise INTERREG programme established to reduce the impact of expandable polystyrene as marine litter. The Marine Institute is involved in the CleanAtlantic INTERREG programme to identify marine litter hot spots in the north Atlantic region.

We commission, support and are involved in the oversight of an array of monitoring and research programmes related to marine litter. I am delighted that the plastics strategy places such a strong focus on innovation and research. The strategy also makes reference to the importance of public awareness campaigns. My Department supports a wide range of awareness-raising and citizen activation measures such as An Taisce's world leading Clean Coasts range of programmes, the green schools global citizenship and the marine environment programme. We are working to incorporate marine litter awareness into mainstream anti-litter programmes. These programmes are considered examples of international best practice. I am supportive of the recommendations emanating from the strategy relating to marine litter. The recommendations cover a wide range of actions, including reducing single-use plastics; tackling sea-based sources of marine litter such as ghost fishing nets; monitoring and curbing marine litter more effectively; curbing microplastics pollution; and restricting substances such as oxo-plastics. The beach litter surveys undertaken for OSPAR have identified that plastic, including single-use items and packaging materials, constitute the vast bulk of beach litter. I am mindful of the concern of Members and the public with regard to microplastics. I wish to assure the House that legislation is being prepared to prohibit the sale or manufacture of certain products containing microbeads.

Shipping and sea and ports are considered a significant marine litter source. Accordingly, we are assisting the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport on work to revise the EU directive on port reception facilities. We also work closely with Bord Iascaigh Mhara to encourage programmes such as the Fishing for Litter scheme.

I believe the EU plastics strategy will be central to achieving the target of reducing marine litter sources and inputs. We are committed to working with other EU states and the Commission to meet the high-level objectives of this strategy and the marine strategy framework directive to combat plastic pollution to protect our marine environment.

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