We are writing a letter to Ministers Darragh O'Brien and Alan Dillon

By Abi O'Callaghan-Platt

Last month we wrote an article about VOICE’s response to the Commission’s Call for Evidence on the Single Use Plastics Directive, in which we largely highlighted the positive impacts of its implementation in Ireland while also pointing out aspects that had not been implemented.  

Just a few days later the European Commission decided to open an infringement procedure by sending a letter of formal notice to Ireland for failing to correctly transpose the Single-Use Plastics Directive. While aspects of the Directive have been transposed, and we are seeing the benefits quite literally on the ground in terms of reduced litter, it is the aspects that have not been put in place which are under scrutiny now.  

Producers Must Pay

The Commission has found that Ireland currently does not require producers to fund initiatives to raise awareness on the impacts of single use plastics and the reusable alternatives available, or to fund litter clean‑up costs.

Nationally, we have also failed to put into place measures to achieve a quantifiable reduction in single use plastic cups and food containers by 2026. And while we have established an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for tobacco filters, the EPR schemes for wet wipes, balloons and fishing gear have yet to materialise. Finally, separate collection is not yet in place for the recycling of certain single use plastic items.

Ireland will have two months to respond and address the shortcomings raised by the Commission.  

VOICE has written to the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment to urge them to take immediate action to complete the full transposition of the Single‑Use Plastics Directive without further delay, and to implement the ambitions set out in the Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy and the National Waste Management Plan for a Circular Economy.

The Government’s Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, which was published in 2020 and covered the period 2020-2025, included a number of measures planned by the Government under the SUPD that showed great ambition, but have not been put into place.

In the Action Plan we promised actions that would make us a leader internationally in single use plastic reduction, with both specific single use plastics targeted and an overall aim to significantly reduce the amount of single use plastics being placed on the market by 2026 (relative to 2022), the reality however has been very different.

Disposable coffee cups, cold drinks containers and food containers

There was high ambition on the topic of disposable coffee cups. The government proposed to introduce the latte levy, trial the elimination of coffee cups entirely in selected towns, Higher Education Institutions, and other transport/commercial centers, introduce measures to ban their unnecessary use (such as sit-in cafés) and to oblige retailers to give a price reduction to consumers who use reusable cups.  Finally, they proposed that they would implement an eventual full ban on disposable cups.  

In reality, while the levy was legislated for under the Circular Economy Act 2022, the levy has stalled with a lack of political will to take it further. As of 2026 the Department has commissioned a regulatory impact assessment of potential measures to reduce disposable beverage cups.

Similarly to coffee cups, the government also expressed a great drive to reduce cold drinks cups and containers. This can be seen in the successful introduction of a deposit and return scheme for plastic bottles and aluminium cans to raise the recycling rate for drinks containers.  However, they proposed a levy on cold drinks cups as with coffee cups, and to examine the licensing of large-scale events to prohibit their use, neither of which have come to pass.  

The ambition wasn’t just restricted to drinks’ cups or containers; they also planned to impose environmental levies on food containers, to ban their unnecessary use (such as in sit-in cafés), and to examine the licensing of large-scale events to prohibit their use.

Finally, where disposable cups and food containers were still available, they planned to implement an ‘on request’ policy for single use plastics for food and beverages.    

Bans on single use plastics

Bans on certain single use plastics are a core aspect of the SUPD, and these have been implemented in Ireland for disposable plastic straws, cutlery, plates, stirrers and cotton bud sticks. However, this implementation has not been entirely successful as we still see plastic cutlery widely available, having been simply relabeled as reusable. Ireland placed itself as a forerunner in this with plans to also ban wet wipes (non-medical), single use plastic hotel toiletries, and single use plastic sugar and condiment items, yet these bans have not materialised.

Responsibilities for producers putting single use plastics on the market

The Action Plan also stated that Extended Producer Responsibility requirements will be introduced for tobacco products, balloons, wet wipes; and fishing gear. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes are environmental policies that require producers to fund and manage the end-of-life disposal and recycling of their products. While the EPR for tobacco filters has been introduced, the other EPRs have not been established.    

Next steps

VOICE has called for a meeting with the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Darragh O’Brien, on the infringement. We are advocating for swift transposition of all aspects of the SUPD and fulfillment of the actions outlined in the Action plan.

Taking these steps would resolve the infringement proceedings and demonstrate Ireland’s commitment to reducing plastic pollution and supporting a circular economy, in advance of our upcoming Presidency of the European Council.

This is particularly important given that the Circular Economy Act will be published by the Commission during Ireland’s Presidency.

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