Written answers

Tuesday, 19 June 2018

Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment

Plastic Bag Levy

Photo of John LahartJohn Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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454. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the revenue from the sale of plastic bags in each of the years 2012 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26241/18]

Photo of John LahartJohn Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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455. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his views on long-life bags; his further views on the price that some outlets charge for the bags; the benefits or otherwise of such bags; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26242/18]

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 454 and 455 together.

The plastic bag levy, currently 22 cents per leviable bag, was introduced primarily as an anti-litter measure, designed to influence consumers by encouraging them to reduce their use of disposable plastic bags. "Long-life bags", as referred to in the question, are not defined in legislation. However, the levy does not apply to plastic bags designed for re-use which are used to contain goods or products and which are sold to customers for a sum of not less than 70 cents each.

The introduction of the levy in March 2002 led to a dramatic reduction in the number of disposable plastic bags supplied to consumers, from an estimated 328 bags per person per year prior to the introduction of the levy, to 21 bags per person by the end of 2002, and a further reduction to an estimated 8 bags per person by the end of 2016.

My Department monitors the receipts from the plastic bag levy to gauge trends in the average per capita consumption of single-use plastic bags. This data is used to ensure that the plastic bag levy is set at an appropriate level. The National Litter Pollution Monitoring System Report 2016reports that plastic bags constituted 0.23% of litter arising in 2016. This compares with 5% prior to the levy’s introduction.

Receipts from the plastic bag levy for each year are published in the Environment Fund Annual Accounts. The 2017 Annual Accounts will be published on my Department’s website after they have been audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General, while copies of the Annual Accounts, up to and including 2016, are available on my Department’s website at the following weblink:

www.dccae.gov.ie/en-ie/environment/topics/environmental-protection-and-awareness/environmental-fund/Pages/default.aspx.

I very much welcome the more sustainable practices resulting from the introduction of the plastic bag levy, and its very positive impact on litter and on our environment generally. Indeed, Ireland is often cited internationally as an example to others in this regard and the amendment to the EU Packaging Directive, which seeks to reduce the usage of plastic bags across the EU, was informed by the positive Irish experience.

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