Q&A: What's the story with the single use plastics ban?

In response to the EU's Single-Use Plastics Directive the Department of the Environment has banned a range of items from being placed on the Irish market

The Single-Use Plastics Directive was introduced in 2019 by the EU in a bid to mitigate the damage being caused to the oceans and other environments, giving member states time to get their policies in line by 2021.

What is single-use plastic?

According to the EU, single-use plastic products (SUPs) are used once, or for a short period of time, before being thrown away. 

"The impacts of this plastic waste on the environment and our health are global and can be drastic. Single-use plastic products are more likely to end up in our seas than reusable options," the European Commission says.

How impactful are they on the environment?

The 10 most commonly found single-use plastic items on European beaches, alongside fishing gear, represent 70% of all marine litter in the EU, according to the Commission.

What are the measures taken in Ireland since July 3?

The Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD) was introduced in 2019 by the EU in a bid to mitigate the damage being caused to the oceans and other environments, giving member states time to get their policies in line by 2021. 

Ireland's Department of the Environment said it has now banned a range of items from being placed on the Irish market since July 3.

What items are included?

Cotton bud sticks, cutlery, plates, stirrers, chopsticks, straws, expanded polystyrene single-use food and beverage containers, and all oxo-degradable plastic products.

What is oxo-degradable?

Oxo-degradable material can be found in everyday items such as plastic bags. 

Additives in oxo-degradable products help break plastics into microplastics, but environmentalists have said it actually makes the problem much worse. 

Research from the University of Plymouth shows that oxo-degradable plastics stayed intact in the sea and in soil for three years.

Is plastic waste a big problem in the EU?

According to the Zero Waste Europe non-governmental-organisation, around 25.8m tonnes of plastic waste are generated every year in the EU, and less than 30% of such waste is collected or recycled. 

It is worse when the global picture is examined, the body adds. 

"Over the past 50 years, global production and consumption of plastics have increased more than 20 times over, going from 15mn tonnes in 1964 to 311m tonnes in 2014, and according to estimates, it will double again over the next 20 years," Zero Waste Europe says.

Are there any exceptions to the new rules?

The Commission says where sustainable alternatives are easily available and affordable, single-use plastic products cannot be placed on the markets of EU member states. 

"This applies to cotton bud sticks, cutlery, plates, straws, stirrers, and sticks for balloons. It will also apply to cups, food and beverage containers made of expanded polystyrene, and on all products made of oxo-degradable plastic.

"For other single-use plastic products, the EU is focusing on limiting their use through reducing consumption through awareness-raising measures introducing design requirements."

What are some of those other products?

According to Zero Waste Europe, they include balloons and tobacco products. Marking and labelling will now be required, as well as awareness-raising measures.