Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

As regards the number of cans and bottles that have been brought back, it is 1.8 million plastic bottles and 2 million cans. That is double what it was a few days ago, which shows the rate of increase. The Deputy asked how it works for people who are already putting bottles and cans into the recycle bin in their kitchen and the objective of the whole plan. The problem is that although approximately 60% of the bottles and cans were going back into those bins, approximately one in three were ending up in the landscape and the environment. That is partly because a very large volume of cans and bottles are being consumed on the go. Approximately 5 million bottles and cans are sold every day for single-use drinks. That is one for every person in the country. Unfortunately, approximately 2 million of those were not making it into recycling. The objective is to increase the rate of recycling of those bottles and cans by 50%, which will also meet EU targets.

As regards sports clubs, it would be ideal for GAA, soccer or other sports clubs to have a machine in place and for the proceeds from the bottles and cans returned to go towards funding the club. I have met with a sustainability officer the GAA on that issue and we are working to deliver that scheme. I have detected a significant amount of enthusiasm and it would be a very practical thing to do.

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