Tom Neville (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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86. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to increase the level of plastic recycling and to reduce the use of non-recyclable plastics in particular. [53192/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Ireland has consistently exceeded the mandatory EU recycling target of 22.5% for plastic packaging waste. That said, new targets have been set by the EU which will oblige Member States to recycle 50% of plastic packaging waste by 2025 and 55% by 2030. This will be a challenge for Member States.

At EU level, the first-ever Europe-wide strategy on plastics has been adopted. The strategy envisages that all plastic packaging on the EU market will be recyclable by 2030 and that the consumption of single-use plastics will be reduced. The strategy is underpinned by a proposed directive for the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment. I am working closely with the Commission and other Member States on the development of this proposal. Once finalised, this proposal will enable me to introduce concrete measures to reduce, and in some cases, ban the use of single use plastics.

I am also working closely with Repak, the Producer Responsibility Scheme for Packaging in Ireland. REPAK members, including all the major retailers, have pledged to support Ireland in delivering the new plastic targets by:

- Minimising avoidable single use packaging and promoting packaging reuse where possible.

- Eliminating non-recyclable components in all plastic packaging by 2030.

- Increasing the use of plastic packaging with a recycled content.