Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 18:

In page 20, after line 41, to insert the following: “(e) food contact materials in which perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been used;”.

We wanted there to be included in this section a specific ban on a range of products such as single-use cups, plastic bags and so on because recent research, particularly from the US, has shown that food contact with the chemical substances used in these products is very dangerous. Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS, are a class of man-made chemicals widely used in products ranging from non-stick pans to make-up and firefighting foams, and they have come under increased scrutiny globally in response to science linking PFAS exposure to health problems including liver damage, cancer and birth development disorder. They have been dubbed "forever chemicals" because they are not broken down in the environment. We think it is important in the Bill to take account of the health implications, rather than just the climate implications, of a circular economy.

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