Written answers

Wednesday, 6 June 2012

Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

Litter Pollution

10:00 pm

Photo of Patrick NultyPatrick Nulty (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 631: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if consideration will be given to the introduction of container deposit legislation as proposed in correspondence (details supplied); if he agrees that this will help prevent littering; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27378/12]

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Directive 94/62/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on packaging and packaging waste (the Packaging Directive) classifies items such as bottles, drink cans and plastic containers as packaging. The Packaging Directive is based on the concept of producer responsibility, which effectively requires producers to contribute to the waste management costs of products which they have placed on the market.

Under the Directive, Ireland's requirement to achieve a 60% recovery rate for packaging waste in 2011 has already been exceeded and, in 2010, a recovery rate of 74% was achieved. The material-specific recycling targets of 60% for glass, 50% for metals and 22.5% for plastics had also been achieved by 2010, with recycling rates of 78%, 63% and 39% respectively, recorded.

The Programme for Government contains a commitment to drive a waste reduction programme as part of the overall policy in the area of sustainable waste management. One of the possible elements of this waste reduction strategy, which is contained in the Programme, is the introduction of a levy on packaging.

My Department commenced a process of consultation with industry, other stakeholders and the public on a possible levy on packaging to obtain the overall view of stakeholders on the broad subject of a packaging levy in 2011.

The main issues examined in this initial consultation were as follows:

· The overall views of stakeholders on a packaging levy;

· How a packaging levy might be operated;

· International experiences of similar levies; and

· How a possible packaging levy might be structured in order to contribute to a reduction in packaging waste.

Following on from this consultation I have commenced a Review of the Producer Responsibility Initiative (PRI) Model in Ireland which will build on the initial levy consultation and will examine other relevant issues in the packaging area, such as container deposit and refund schemes. The aim of the review is to identify any changes to PRI policy which are required to ensure that Ireland is in a position to meet more challenging waste recovery and recycling targets in the future in the most cost-effective manner possible and to inform the policy development process which is now underway and is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

In connection with a possible packaging levy, the review will include the following:

(i) an economic analysis of the possible affects of a packaging levy;

(ii) options on how a possible packaging levy might operate;

(iii) possible alternatives to a packaging levy which would yield corresponding reductions in packaging;

(iv) how might a packaging levy work in tandem and affect the operation of the compliance schemes; and

(v) an examination of initiatives such as deposit and refund and reverse vending either as stand alone options or in tandem with a packaging levy.

It is my view that economic decisions should only be taken when they have been placed in an environmental context, including the potential impact of such economic decisions on littering, and the Review will inform my approach to deliver the best possible results for Ireland and our environment.

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