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Straws, cutlery and cotton buds among single-use plastics banned from tomorrow

The EU directive was agreed upon in 2019.

AN EU DIRECTIVE restricting certain single-use plastic products – such as the straws, cutlery and cotton buds – being placed on the Irish market will come into effect tomorrow. 

The Single-Use Plastics Directive sets strict rules for reducing the type of products and packaging which are among the top ten most frequently found items polluting European beaches.

Under the directive, where alternatives are easily available and affordable, single-use plastic products will be banned from the market, such as cutlery, plates and straws. For other products, efforts will be made to limit their use through design and labelling, and clean-up obligations for those who manufacture them.

The ban was agreed upon in 2019 and EU member states, including Ireland, have had two years to transpose the legislation into their national law.

In compliance with the directive, the following single-use plastic items will be banned from being placed on the Irish market from 3 July:

  • Cotton bud sticks
  • Cutlery
  • Plates
  • Stirrers
  • Chopsticks
  • Straws
  • Expanded polystyrene single use food and beverage containers
  • All oxo-degradable plastic products

The EU directive will also see other measures come into effect over the next few years. 

By 5 January 2023, producers of packaging of certain single-use plastics will be required to cover the costs of litter clean up. The EU Commission is said to be producing guidance on how this will be calculated. 

From January 2025, it will be a requirement for drink producers to have at a minimum of 25% recycled plastic in their single-use plastic bottles. 

The EU directive is in line with the government’s own plan to tackle waste, announced last year. The plan includes aims to halve food waste by 2030, introduce a deposit and return scheme for plastic bottles and aluminium cans, and place a levy on disposable cups. 

“Our future depends on us rapidly changing the way we produce products; this will contribute to a much wider effort to address climate change,” said Fine Gael TD Alan Farrell ahead of tomorrow’s implementation. 

“The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy also commits Ireland to increase plastic recycling rates to 50% by 2025, introducing a deposit return scheme which will accommodate plastic bottles; and by 2030, ensure that all packaging on the Irish market is reusable or recyclable.

“Recent record temperatures in Canada are the latest reminder that we need to tackle Climate Change, now. We cannot afford to wait any longer to act.”

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    Mute Anthony Hilton
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    Aug 16th 2021, 3:40 PM

    When will people realise that the government don’t care about the people

    154
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    Mute Larsen Cib
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    Aug 16th 2021, 3:45 PM

    @Anthony Hilton: why not? Leonardo and Martin said thank you didnt they?
    Now you can store a big thank you in your fridge and pay for your transport to work.

    Just let them know that you are paying with the governments ” thank you “

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    Mute Colm OS
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    Aug 16th 2021, 4:52 PM

    Without doubt Healthcare workers deserve recognition and reward but it wasn’t just Healthcare workers who put themselves at risk. All the supermarket, pharmacy and non hse Healthcare staff (as a few examples) all took on risk which they deserve to be rewarded for

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    Mute Niamh Hughes
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    Aug 16th 2021, 11:57 PM

    @Colm OS: Dunnes stores employees got a 10% raise and a 20% discount card for their shopping. I stand to be corrected but I also think Tesco rewarded their employees too. Healthcare workers got a round of applause.

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    Mute John Fagan
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    Aug 16th 2021, 5:10 PM

    The problem with this is that if you give to one in the union, you have to give it to the lot of them. This includes managers who sat at home during the pandemic, administration staff who worked from home and people who just didn’t bother coming in because they didn’t want to catch covid. Plus the fact that every other public servant will want it. Who decides who deserves it?

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    Mute Niall Lee
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    Aug 16th 2021, 5:22 PM

    @John Fagan: every single one of them

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    Mute Garreth mc mahon
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    Aug 16th 2021, 3:51 PM

    These unions need separation from influence of government, if they are unhappy, go to LRC or labour court for each law broken if any. The days of ministers showing up at conventions also need to stop. The unions have never helped to fix the issues and it’s amazing how many pay rises fix the issues in the HSE

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    Mute GrumpyAulFella
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    Aug 16th 2021, 3:40 PM

    The demand doesn’t seem to be very clear. Are the unions looking for compensation for all workers in the health sector, front line workers or what exactly? How many staff are they seeking compensation for? The HSE employees about 70,000 alone, throw in all the voluntary hospitals, care workers…. They must be able to put a number on it.

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    Mute Derek Moean
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    Aug 16th 2021, 4:10 PM

    Leo will give them around of applause…

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    Mute Ian Breathnach
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    Aug 16th 2021, 9:01 PM

    @Derek Moean: he’ll give them a pay rise, then claim he too is a Doctor and take said pay rise himself.

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    Mute Margaret Kane
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    Aug 17th 2021, 12:34 PM

    TDs certainly don’t suffer hardships they’ve no problems robbing the taxpayers money to give themselves big rises

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