February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Andrew Bushe
DUBLIN — Irish people have cut their use of plastic shopping bags by 90 percent following a special green tax levy that was introduced earlier this year, according to new Irish government figures released this week.
The so-called “plastax” of 15 cents per bag has led to a major change by people to reusable shopping bags.
The levy was introduced on March 4 to cut down on the estimated 1.2 billion plastic bags given out by shops every year, many of which ended up as wind-blown litter.
During the first three months of operation, shops handed out about 23 million plastic bags — about 277 million fewer than normal.
Environment Minister Martin Cullen said the tax brought in euro 3.5 million in the first three months. If current trends continue, the levy will realize more than euro 10 million in a full year. It is expected that more than 1 billion plastic bags a year will be removed from circulation.
Follow us on social media
Keep up to date with the latest news with The Irish Echo
“The levy has been an outstanding success in achieving what it set out to do,” Cullen said. “The reduction in the use of disposable plastic shopping bags has been immediate and the positive visual impact on the environment is plain to see.
“It is clear that the levy has not only changed consumer behavior in relation to disposable plastic bags, [but] it has also raised national consciousness about the role each one of us can, and must play if we are to tackle collectively the problems of litter and waste management.”
Before the levy was introduced, a normal weekly shopping trip to the supermarket by a family would involve taking home 10 to 12 plastic bags full of groceries.
As an alternative, shops and supermarkets are using paper bags and are selling reusable plastic shopping bags. Some shoppers changed to traditional string bags or wicker baskets.
The tax earned from the levy is being reserved for funding other environmental initiatives.