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Single Use Plastics Bill - Consultation
Philip McGuigan MLA (Sinn Féin) is proposing the introduction of a Single Use Plastics Reduction Bill in the north. The questions in this consultation are intended to gather the views of the public to better inform and improve legislation to reduce the use of single use plastic.
Plastic waste and pollution are having harmful effect on wildlife habitats, biodiversity, human health, and the natural world more broadly. By some estimates, humankind has produced a staggering 8,300 Mt of plastic since its invention and widespread use as a modern, industrial material. However, only 9% of this has ever been recycled, with fully 80% of all plastic ever produced dumped in landfills or elsewhere in the natural environment. The Disastrous effects of this pollution on the marine environment and ocean acidification are becoming increasingly clear.
Various legislative initiatives are underway in the south of Ireland (through the EU Single Use Plastics Directive) and in England, Scotland, and Wales, where banning and restricting certain single use plastics, and introducing levies on coffee cups, has been discussed. These do not apply to the North of Ireland.
To tackle this issue, the European Union has advanced the Single Use Plastics Directive due to be transposed into law by EU member states in 2021. However due to British Government’s decision to exit the EU this Directive will not apply to the North of Ireland. Furthermore, the passage of the Environment Bill in Westminster may introduce powers (through Part 3, Clause 52) for the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to introduce charges on unspecified single use plastics, but it will not include powers of prohibition.
This Bill will, as closely as possible, mirror the content of the EU Single Use Plastics Directive and effectively achieve regulatory alignment with the European Union on the restriction and prohibition of plastics designed for a single use.
Ultimately, this Bill will reduce the significant amount of waste generated by single use plastics in the north of Ireland and consequently begin to address the damage it causes to our environment.