Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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126. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the extent to which efforts continue to be made to reduce the use of plastic, with particular reference to banning certain products and activities to protect our seas and marine life; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27805/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Single Use Plastics Directive (Directive EU 2019/904), adopted in 2019, aims to reduce the volume and impact of single-use plastics on the environment, including the marine environment. It targets the ten most commonly-found single-use plastic items found on European beaches which, alongside fishing gear, represent 70% of all marine litter in the EU.

The Directive was transposed into Irish law in July 2021 and measures are being implemented in accordance with the timelines set out in the Directive. This includes outright bans to eliminate specific single-use plastic items for which more sustainable alternatives are readily available and consumption reduction measures to limit the use of other single use items.

- From July 2021, single-use plastic cotton bud sticks, straws, cutlery, plates, beverage stirrers, balloon sticks, food and beverage cups/containers made of expanded polystyrene and all products made from oxo-degradable plastic were banned.

- From July 2021, mandatory labelling was introduced for certain single-use plastic products informing consumers of the presence of plastic and the impact that littering and inappropriate disposal of those products has on the environment. This applies to beverage cups, sanitary products, wet wipes and tobacco filter products.

- From July 2024, caps/lids for beverage containers must remain tethered to the container during use to improve recycling and reduce littering of those items.

- National targets have been set to improve recycling rates and quality of recyclate for plastic beverage bottles. This includes minimum recycled content targets of 25% by 2025 and 30% by 2030 and separate collection targets of 77% by 2025 and 90% by 2029. These targets will be delivered through the Deposit Return Scheme which was introduced in February 2024.

- Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes are required for producers of single-use plastics, who have a responsibility to finance the collection and environmentally-sound waste management of their products at end of life. Since January 2023, EPRs are in place for packaging items and for tobacco filter products. New EPRs are required for wet wipes, balloons, and fishing gear by the end 2024.

- Specifically in relation to fishing gear containing plastic, Ireland has new obligations to monitor and report on fishing gear placed on the market and waste fishing gear collected and to publish an annual national, non-binding, minimum collection rate for waste fishing gear containing plastic. The collection rate published for 2024 is 100 tonnes.