CARRIER BAG LEVY

AND A CARRIER BAG AS WELL PLEASE

(Click on the title for a link to Friends of the Earth)

Ian

As the effects of the plastic bag tax wears off, the latest figures show that the number of bags being paid for are up almost 15% year on year. Add this to widespread reports of shops issuing bags without any charge, and Ireland’s pioneering tax is in trouble. FIE supports Friends of the Earth's call for a doubling of the tax. There is added disappointment on the streets too because the government have failed to carry through with the chewing gum levy and the cash machine receipts. One issue that will become more high profile this year will be the push for bottles to be made returnable by introducing the deposits on the bottles. This used to keep loads of children in pocket money years ago when they used to collect them up and take them back to the shops. Recycling glass bottles actually uses up more energy that producing them from the raw materials so to be able to use them again would be a great saving in energy.

Environmental.