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IRELAND WILL PROCEED with a ban on micro-plastic beads, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Denis Naughten has told his EU colleagues today.
Microbeads are mostly used in some soaps, shower gels and facial scrubs to exfoliate your skin, although they can be found in toothpastes and abrasive cleaners.
The tiny plastics (usually between 0.0004-1.24 mm wide) enter the world’s waterways in their billions, and because of their size, are almost impossible to remove.
In waterways, fish and other wildlife mistake the tiny scraps of plastic for food and from there, the beads are integrated into the food chain.
At an European Council meeting of EU environment ministers in Malta today, Naughten said:
While we fully support a coordinated approach across the EU in banning microplastics which end up in our rivers and seas, the Irish government has decided to proceed on its own plan to reduce the amount of plastic which ends up in our waters.
While other political parties have introduced their own bills on banning microbeads, the government argued they were ‘significantly flawed’ and accused Labour’s bill of ‘generally confusing’ microbeads and microplastics.
Coveney told Cabinet in November that the government was supportive of banning microbeads in principle, but said imposing a ban at that stage would go against Article 33 and 35 of the EU treaty which guarantee the free movement of goods. However, a number of politicians disagreed with this sentiment.
Naughten has indicated that Ireland cannot wait around for an EU directive and must follow the UK and France’s lead to introduce their own, individual ban.
“A single shower can lead to 100,000 microbeads going into our waterways – it’s a huge and growing problem, not just in Ireland but internationally as well. Quite rightly the EU is currently looking at this issue and there is a role for the EU in relation to this but in Ireland it has serious consequences for our fish stocks and clean water standards,” added Naughten.
Previously, the government has said it’s looking at other successful models to base its own ban on microbeads on. The ban would have to include a timeframe to give companies that use microbeads in their products time to adjust.
It must also decide on the punishment if the microbeads ban is broken. The government previously called the Green Party’s proposal of €10,000 per product containing microbeads excessive, as one company could end up paying €1 million for 10 products.
The government recently ended a consultation on microbeads, the findings of which are due to be released soon.
With reporting from Gráinne Ní Aodha
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Good. There’s enough plastics in our waterways and oceans without these stupid things. Aren’t there peach pit and other biodegradeable alternatives?
Better still though to ban the dumping of raw sewage into the sea as currently happens in nearly 50 places around the country. Heard today on the wireless that one such place, Spiddal, has tested positive for metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM-1). This is an enzyme produced by a very very cosmically nasty class of superbugs that basically breaks down carbopenams, a main component of powerful new antibiotics that are used to treat superbugs that are resistant to all other forms of antibiotics.
That we have CRE (lessee can I remember: carbopenams resistant encephalobacteriaceae?) in our waterways is incredibly worrying. Incredibly. Stop dumping.
Shite. Got it wrong. It’s Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) or carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) are Gram-negative bacteria that are resistant to the carbapenem class of antibiotics, considered the drugs of last resort for such infections. Source wiki. Entero not encephalo. Anyway not a scientist but asides from the spelling can’t think of anything scarier than these in our waterways. Because a) it means it’s in some of us and b) it means it’ll presently be in more of us who like swimming inter alia. Also eating seafood, paddling, etc. And of course drinking water. Preferably with as little shite in it as possible or what else do I pay the ridic amount of taxes I already pay, for?
And still a simple deposit and return system on plastic and glass bottles is ignored.
@Tweed Cap: the environment? Fine Gael? Fianna Fáil? Not a hope!
1 million for 10 products at a €10,000 fine per product. Ah well.
Good initiative here. Fair play to Naughton and government getting in ahead of the game. Credit where it is due.
Hilarious how these goons can quote EU treaty articles when it suits.
Not often I say this, but, well done Minister. Leading the way and long overdue. Let’s protect our Marine Life!
Fine the companies who use it
They kill off the life that the food chain starts at, in the future they might realise that plastic is more toxic than people realise now?
A simple returns policy for pladtic bottles wont stop the use of microbeads.
@Stewart O Neill: it’s not the plastic bottle in this case, but the content of the bottle that obtains microbeads ….
@Susanne Morgan: they should ban the bottles too plastic is ruining the planet
100% of our shower gel ( and everything else) is imported from Britain.
If the ban already exists in Britain, then either we won’t be able to source the stuff, or they will dump it on us to get rid of it.
But either way, we are only at the stage of doing something because the big boys have done something
@kevin: 100%?
A countless amount of plastic still enters the oceans from all the unnecessary plastic we use, especially packaging.
As well as that, a lot of clothes are made out of plastic and when washing them, they can release microplastics.
We’re always looking to ban something.
@Big Lee: hard to argue against that the plastic bag charge benefited this country,
Alot less litter from bags these days, millions of plastic bags not needlessly used.
It’s almost alien watching people in certain countrys using 15-20 plastic bags to do their shopping.
Finally some not so common sense from our government on an important issue these beads are nasty
Good
Not often I say this well done Minister Naughten now let’s do it not just talk about it
Let’s remember that these are a new invention. A few years ago, someone in marketing came up with this idea, and companies went ahead with it knowing full well the devastating environmental destruction it would cause. They should be immediately outlawed and the companies that prejudiced then presented with a bill for the damage.
Great man he is , push on with banning micro beads (can’t wait for Europe to enforce law) but don’t change wind guidelines despite European law & human rights . One law for the rich & one law for fame (minister for banning micro beads).
have your say