Proposed Plastic Bag Tax

BRIAN WELCOMES THE CONSULTATION ON THE PROPOSED PLASTIC BAG TAX AND ARGUES THAT IT MUST BE INTRODUCED AT A HIGH LEVEL AROUND 15P TO DISCOURAGE SHOPPERS FROM USING PLASTIC BAGS

In light of the success of a similar levy in theIrishRepublicthe opposition from the NIIRTA would seem extremely short-sighted.

Brian Wilson states as I pointed out at  the second stage debate of the Bill  I welcome the fact that the income will be used to fund the Green New Deal but the ultimate success of the legislation will be  when plastic bags are phased out completely and no revenue was raised.

I have supported a levy on plastic bags for many years but not on economic grounds but on environmental grounds.

Plastic bags have a serious impact on the environment and  on wildlife. There are many examples of wildlife and indeed farm animals dying a very painful death having digested a plastic bag.

There is also the problem of litter. Light bags are blown throughout our countryside, festooning our trees and hedgerows and destroying the green, clean countryside that we are trying to promote as tourism.

The aim of the Bill should not be to raise revenue; it should be to change consumer behaviour, reduce plastic bags in the rural landscape and increase public awareness of littering.

The levy imposed by the Irish government has been a great success. It has reduced the use of plastic bags by more than 90%: 1·3 billion fewer bags are used each year. There has also been a significant reduction in littering, and costs have been minimal, at only 3% of the revenue raised. Research carried out for the Dáil some years ago showed overwhelming support from both the public and retailers.

However, that is not what it is about. We have to encourage people to reuse bags. That would dramatically reduce what goes to landfill.

It can be done.  In theIrishRepublic, 1·3 billion fewer bags are used.

I am coming from the perspective of the levy not being a revenue raiser. I want people to change their behaviour so that it will be phased out in the longer term. However, we have to be realistic; it will not disappear overnight. In the short term, it will raise money that can be used for the green new deal.

I find the opposition to the levy from the small retailers very hard to grasp, given that in theIrishRepublicall retailers, the chambers of commerce and the multinationals all believe that it is a good thing. Even those who initially opposed it now support it. Retailers have made significant savings. One retailer experienced savings of £1·9 million in the first year because it bought fewer plastic bags. They still made savings after administrative costs.

Leave a Reply