Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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148. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his proposals to reduce the amount of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic exported from Ireland; if he has considered introducing a levy on the use of virgin plastics; and if his Department will collate data on the quantities of PET plastic that are recycled domestically and exported. [30327/25]

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The waste management industry in Ireland remains reliant, in part, on the export market to meet its processing needs for waste packaging produced here, including PET. Given the volume and grade of material collected, this is mostly recycled abroad for reasons of economic viability.

Notwithstanding these constraints, a number of measures are planned or underway which will boost recycling rates and make recycling on the island a more attractive proposition for investors.

These measures include:

- The recent introduction of our national Deposit and Return scheme which is already delivering a separate high-quality stream of PET of recycling

- Requirements for recycled content in all packaging under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and for PET bottles specifically (under the Single Use Plastics Directive), which should increase demand for quality recyclate

- Requirements for harmonised labelling, and design-for-recycling criteria, under the PPWR, which should further help in the correct segregation and easier post-consumer treatment of plastic waste.

In keeping with the polluter pays principle, Extended Producer Responsibility schemes have a key role in meeting national collection and recycling targets and also in supporting investment to ensure that as much as possible can be recycled and recovered domestically. Both Re-Turn and Repak are working with investors to maximise the recycling of all types of plastic packaging here.

In addition, changes in the recently revised Waste Shipment Regulation will ensure a more level playing field in the EU plastic recycling market for EU operators. After 21 May 2029, plastic packaging waste can be exported for recycling to non-OECD countries only if those countries have proven to the European Commission that they can manage such waste to an environmental standard equivalent to EU recyclers.

In relation to a levy on virgin plastic, the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy commits to examining measures to support the increased use of recycled materials in packaging, including the introduction of a virgin plastic levy. The Department will commission a study this year to examine the feasibility of such a levy.

The collection and reporting of data under both the SUPD and the PPWR is a function of the Environmental Protection Agency, however lack of EU or international waste codes for individual plastic polymer types means official data on PET is not available currently.