Written answers
Thursday, 28 September 2023
Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Waste Management
Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
155. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the universally accepted methods for the disposal of plastics including recycling and the ongoing need to ensure that the public have sufficient ways and means of contributing to reduction in use, disposal and reuse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42076/23]
Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
Waste management methods, including for plastic, are set out in the waste hierarchy, which ranks methods according to their impact on the environment, in the following order:
While Ireland is currently meeting its recycling target for plastic packaging, national waste statistics published recently by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) show that less than a third (28%) of plastic packaging is being recycled and that many recyclable plastic items are still being put in the general waste bin, which means they end up being incinerated. This represents a loss of recyclable material and an unnecessarily high cost for households and businesses, whose waste charges could be lowered through proper segregation.
1. Prevention
2. Re-use
3. Recycling
4. Recovery
5. Disposal
A number of measures are in place to improve segregation and increase recycling rates for all packaging, including plastic:
- In July this year, I introduced mandatory segregation and incentivised charging for commercial waste,
- From 1 September, I introduced a new waste recovery levy and an increase to the existing landfill levy to encourage people to reduce their waste collection costs by improving their waste segregation practices, and
- From 1 February, 2023, a Deposit Return Scheme will go live. The scheme will increase the quantity and quality of plastic beverage bottles being recycled through a separate collection system.
No comments