Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
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101. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the status of efforts to reduce the use of single-use plastic items such as cutlery, plates and straws in addition to expanded polystyrene containers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29424/21]

Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy outlines the measures Ireland is taking under the Single Use Plastics Directive (EU 2019/904) to substantially reduce the amount of single use plastic items we use and to sustainably manage the waste arising from those we do. The Directive will be transposed by the deadline of 3 July 2021 and from that date single use plastic cutlery, plates, stirrers, straws, balloon sticks and cotton bud sticks may not be placed on the Irish market. This ban will also apply to single use expanded polystyrene cups and food containers and all products containing oxo-degradable plastic. The Plan sets out the range of steps we will take to become leaders in the EU in the fight against single use plastics including the commitment to introduce a Deposit and Return Scheme for plastic bottles and aluminium cans and a levy on the use of disposable coffee cups with the ambition of ultimately banning them entirely.