MSPs Warned Plastic Tax Did Not Leave Irish Down in Dumps

By IAN SWANSON Scottish Political Editor

IRISH government officials have warned MSPs a tax on plastic bags will not cut the amount of plastic dumped in landfill sites.

In evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s environment committee, they said the 10p “plastax” which Ireland introduced in 2002 had not led to any reduction in plastic rubbish because people who previously used plastic bags as bin liners now had to buy conventional bin bags. The committee, which is considering the Bill by Edinburgh South Liberal Democrat MSP Mike Pringle to bring in a similar levy in Scotland, was today taking evidence by video-link from a senior official from the Irish department of environment, heritage and local government.

But a written submission from the department said the environmental benefit from the bags tax had been a reduction in litter rather than landfill.

It said: “The primary purpose of the plastic bag levy is that it is a litter control measure rather than a measure to discourage plastic waste going to landfill.

“The department does not have statistics concerning sales of refuse bags and pedal bin-liners. However, it has been reported that sales of these items have increased following the introduction of the levy. Whereas it has not reduced levels of plastic going to landfill, it has had a huge impact on visible litter. Plastic bags used to account for five per cent of our litter. Since the introduction of the levy, they account for only 0.22 per cent.”

Around one billion plastic bags are handed out every year in Scotland and an estimated 6500 tonnes’ worth are dumped annually in landfill sites, where they can take around 100 years to decay.

Earlier this year, a study commissioned by the Scottish Executive claimed a plastic bags levy would have only a minor impact on the overall litter problem or the scale of landfill.

But today Mr Pringle insisted his proposed tax would help cut both litter and landfill. And he said there seemed to be a “slight anomaly” in the Irish assessment of the levy’s effect.

“They say themselves the use of plastic bags has been reduced by 93 per cent and I’m not aware of anyone suggesting there has been a 93 per cent increase in bin liners,” he said.

The Irish government submission said the plastic bags levy had raised a total of 46m euros (GBP 31.25m) in revenue since March 2002. And it claimed support for the plastax had increased since it was introduced.

In a national survey in 2003, 91 per cent said the levy was a good idea. Six per cent did not believe the levy was a good idea, saying they missed having plastic bags about the house and were frustrated when they forgot to take re-usable bags to the shops.

The findings marked a major shift from a survey in 1999, when 40 per cent said they would not be willing to pay a levy.

The committee was today also due to quiz an executive of the Musgrave group, Ireland’s biggest supermarket group, which includes the SuperValu and Centra businesses in Ireland and the Budgens and Londis stores in the UK.

In a written submission, the company suggested the plastic bags tax could result in supermarkets handing out ten times fewer bags. It said in Ireland last year, the company handed out eleven plastic bags for every euro of turnover, whereas its UK outlets gave out 110 bags per euro of turnover.

The Scottish Executive has not yet taken a stance on Mr Pringle’s Bill.