Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I support the points made by Senators Chambers and Murphy during the discussion on the previous Commencement matter. It is vital that the funding is provided to Knock Airport. I welcome Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, to the House and wish him well in his portfolio. I have not had an opportunity to do this previously. I will be sharing some time with Senator Buttimer.

The recycling of plastics is a very significant matter. We may not be able to do justice to it in the short time available to us today. There are many facets to the recycling of various types of plastic, including farm waste plastic, builders' plastic and plastic bottles. People tend to think there is just one type of plastic. It is hard to tell them that there are different types of plastic. We all think that plastic is just plastic. However, some plastics can be recycled and others cannot. What happens to the plastic that cannot be recycled? Where does it go? Does it go to landfill?

A number of representations have been made to me on the recycling of builders' plastic, such as that used to wrap pallets of cement or blocks. This type of plastic can also be seen at fuel depots, where materials like briquettes are bound in plastic. Those who use it have no place to send it to have it recycled. There is a difficulty there. What role does Repak play in the collection of this type of plastic industrial waste? Where does it go? Is there a levy? If so, who collects it? What happens the levy? How is it distributed?

A very significant levy for the collection of farm waste plastic is paid by every farmer who uses such plastic. Some of that levy is distributed, and more of it is not. I understand that there is €3.7 million somewhere that has not been distributed. Some collectors have difficulty in getting the farm plastic off to recycling. There was a big market in China at one stage, but that seems to have dried up. I ask the Minister of State to look into all of these matters. A factory in Littleton, County Tipperary, was going to carry out some of the processing of farm waste plastic.

The Government needs to rethink how it sees this matter going forward. There is a great need for fencing and garden products, all of which can be made out of recycled plastic. I hope the Minister of State will be able to shed some light on some of these issues. I refer particularly to section 60(3) of the Waste Management Act 1996, which relates to the export of plastics by local authorities.