Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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169. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the expected circular life expectancy of plastics has been explored in the context of a deposit and return scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28083/20]

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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170. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a cost comparison has been carried out to establish whether the set-up and maintenance costs of a deposit and return scheme that includes plastics would provide better value than other forms of intervention aimed at reducing the use of plastics by manufacturers and retailers in the first instance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28084/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 169 and 170 together.

Under the Single Use Plastics Directive, Ireland must achieve a collection target of 90% recycling for plastic bottles by 2029 with an interim target of 77% by 2025. A report prepared for my Department by Eunomia concluded that a deposit and return scheme (DRS) is considered to be the only feasible way to achieve the required levels of performance under the SUP Directive. The report also estimates that a DRS could reduce the cost of litter disamenity to communities by €95m, reduce littering by 85% and cut the tonnage of deposit-bearing containers that are landfilled or incinerated by 88%. The consequent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in a year is valued at €1.83 million, with the annual reduction in other air pollutants valued at €550,000.

In line with a commitment contained in Ireland’s new waste policy – A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy- I published the Eunomia report on 2 October alongside a consultation document setting out possible design options for how a producer-funded DRS would work in Ireland.

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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171. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the reason the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy does not propose new recycling targets or schemes to reduce waste from the construction and demolition sector in view of the fact that the sector accounts for 25% to 30% of waste generated annually across the European Union, compared with 10% for household waste; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28085/20]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The measures outlined in Ireland's new waste policy, A Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy,  will help to reduce the volume of construction and demolition waste produced in the first place through a greater focus on designing out waste at the initial planning stages. Other measures will ensure that construction and demolition wastes arising are managed in a more sustainable way through a greater emphasis on waste segregation and diverting appropriate wastes to beneficial uses elsewhere in the economy. In terms of specific targets, these measures will help to ensure that we will  meet the target of preparing for reuse, recycling and other material recovery (including beneficial backfilling operations using waste as a substitute) of 70% by weight of C&D non-hazardous waste (excluding natural soils & stone) by 31 December 2020 as set out in the 2008 Waste Framework Directive. In respect of 2018, the most recent year for which data is currently available, the EPA has stated that our recovery rate for this material was 77%.