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Plastic Bag Tax - My Irish Experience
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I understand that there is now a proposal to introduce this in the UK - and there was some debate on here whilst I was away.
Just to give a view of how Ireland has changed since I last was there for a longish holiday some years ago. There is now virtually no plastic bag litter anywhere in the countryside - the hedgerows used to be festooned with bags - none at all now.
The Irish Bag Levy is €0.22 per bag (about 20p) and it concentrates the mind wonderfully after the first time you get hit with it - per capita usage of bags has dropped from a staggering 328 per person per year to around 20 pppy.
It also seems that the elimination of plastic bag litter has had a very significant knock-on effect in general tidiness and absence of litter of all types. Ireland has gone (at least in the small towns and rural areas where I was) from a position (perhaps 10 or so years ago) of being a much scruffier country than England, to putting just about any country you could name to shame.
Everywhere is tidy and 'kempt' (is that a word?) and the overall image is one of pride in your country. The litter I saw on my trip home from Luton to Warwickshire was seriously horrible (and very depressing) by comparison.
If we can replicate the Irish experience then I'll be very much in favour - my only current worry is that I think the proposed initial levy of 5p is hopelessly inadequate - much too low to work properly.
Just to give a view of how Ireland has changed since I last was there for a longish holiday some years ago. There is now virtually no plastic bag litter anywhere in the countryside - the hedgerows used to be festooned with bags - none at all now.
The Irish Bag Levy is €0.22 per bag (about 20p) and it concentrates the mind wonderfully after the first time you get hit with it - per capita usage of bags has dropped from a staggering 328 per person per year to around 20 pppy.
It also seems that the elimination of plastic bag litter has had a very significant knock-on effect in general tidiness and absence of litter of all types. Ireland has gone (at least in the small towns and rural areas where I was) from a position (perhaps 10 or so years ago) of being a much scruffier country than England, to putting just about any country you could name to shame.
Everywhere is tidy and 'kempt' (is that a word?) and the overall image is one of pride in your country. The litter I saw on my trip home from Luton to Warwickshire was seriously horrible (and very depressing) by comparison.
If we can replicate the Irish experience then I'll be very much in favour - my only current worry is that I think the proposed initial levy of 5p is hopelessly inadequate - much too low to work properly.
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Hmmm - I see that now FGT - but I tend to think that a 'big hit' at the point where it is introduced will have more effect than a series of smaller increases that people just get used to?
Or is the purpose actually more about raising money (even if for charity) than about stopping the use of the bags?
Slightly Cynical Dave
Or is the purpose actually more about raising money (even if for charity) than about stopping the use of the bags?
Slightly Cynical Dave
FGT....I honestly only had one showery day in well over two weeks....thought I'd never find an excuse to sit in a bar.....the sun shone and the evening entertainment went outdoors.
We discussed this I know Dave and I recall when every blasted tree had bags hanging from the branches as we drove out of Dublin...and you are right... it has had a knock on effect. Can't think of anywhere else I have been that has been so clean and tidy....it was a pleasure to walk around the towns and villages.
I know people have complained about having to buy bin bags instead of reusing carrier bags but bin bags will be full and not like the unfilled, unrecycled carrier bags from land fill sites...blowing in the wind.
25p a bag would be good......
We discussed this I know Dave and I recall when every blasted tree had bags hanging from the branches as we drove out of Dublin...and you are right... it has had a knock on effect. Can't think of anywhere else I have been that has been so clean and tidy....it was a pleasure to walk around the towns and villages.
I know people have complained about having to buy bin bags instead of reusing carrier bags but bin bags will be full and not like the unfilled, unrecycled carrier bags from land fill sites...blowing in the wind.
25p a bag would be good......
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