[Niamh.]

Excellent work

Government to ban single-use plastics in waste sector overhaul

Bruton to announce plans to cut landfill disposal by 60% and food waste by 50%



bringing an end to single-use plastics in Ireland and introducing environmental levies to prompt widespread change in human behaviour are among a series of measures to be announced by the Government on Monday.

The actions are part of an overhaul of the Irish waste sector announced by Minister for Climate Action and Environment Richard Bruton.

A ban on a wide variety of plastics, and moves to reduce food waste by 50 per cent and cut landfill disposal by 60 per cent are also included in the changes. They are being introduced to comply with the Government’s new climate action plan, notably its carbon emissions reduction targets, and to meet demanding EU directives coming into force in coming years.

Deposit and return scheme
A separate review is evaluating how to deliver a 90 per cent collection target for single-use plastic bottles in Ireland, including the possibility of introducing a deposit and return scheme (DRS), and how this might operate in an Irish context.

More than 200kg of waste packaging, 59kg of which is plastic, is generated per person every year, which is above the EU average. Food waste alone costs homeowners €700 a year and accounts for a loss of €1 billion to enterprises.

The new waste strategy will also include a ban on single-use plastic plates, cutlery, straws, balloon sticks, cotton bud sticks, polystyrene cups and food containers as well as new fees on non-recyclable plastics, such as on food packaging in supermarkets.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/envi...haul-1.4018889