Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Shutterstock/kubais

Ireland can't wait for EU ban on microbeads and is pressing on with its own

The confusion around whether Ireland’s allowed to bring in its own microbead ban without permission from the EU seems to have been cleared up.

IRELAND WILL PROCEED with a ban on micro-plastic beads, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Denis Naughten has told his EU colleagues today.

Microbeads are mostly used in some soaps, shower gels and facial scrubs to exfoliate your skin, although they can be found in toothpastes and abrasive cleaners.

The tiny plastics (usually between 0.0004-1.24 mm wide) enter the world’s waterways in their billions, and because of their size, are almost impossible to remove.

In waterways, fish and other wildlife mistake the tiny scraps of plastic for food and from there, the beads are integrated into the food chain.

At an European Council meeting of EU environment ministers in Malta today, Naughten said:

While we fully support a coordinated approach across the EU in banning microplastics which end up in our rivers and seas, the Irish government has decided to proceed on its own plan to reduce the amount of plastic which ends up in our waters.

While other political parties have introduced their own bills on banning microbeads, the government argued they were ‘significantly flawed’ and accused Labour’s bill of ‘generally confusing’ microbeads and microplastics.

shutterstock_480286438 Shutterstock / vwPix Shutterstock / vwPix / vwPix

Coveney told Cabinet in November that the government was supportive of banning microbeads in principle, but said imposing a ban at that stage would go against Article 33 and 35 of the EU treaty which guarantee the free movement of goods. However, a number of politicians disagreed with this sentiment.

Naughten has indicated that Ireland cannot wait around for an EU directive and must follow the UK and France’s lead to introduce their own, individual ban.

“A single shower can lead to 100,000 microbeads going into our waterways – it’s a huge and growing problem, not just in Ireland but internationally as well. Quite rightly the EU is currently looking at this issue and there is a role for the EU in relation to this but in Ireland it has serious consequences for our fish stocks and clean water standards,” added Naughten.

Previously, the government has said it’s looking at other successful models to base its own ban on microbeads on. The ban would have to include a timeframe to give companies that use microbeads in their products time to adjust.

It must also decide on the punishment if the microbeads ban is broken. The government previously called the Green Party’s proposal of €10,000 per product containing microbeads excessive, as one company could end up paying €1 million for 10 products.

The government recently ended a consultation on microbeads, the findings of which are due to be released soon.

With reporting from Gráinne Ní Aodha

Read: Government to propose its own microbeads ban, calling other parties’ bills ‘flawed and confused’

Read: Government to oppose Greens’ bid to ban microbeads, claiming bill breaches EU rules

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
24 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gavin Power
    Favourite Gavin Power
    Report
    Mar 7th 2022, 8:38 PM

    Meanwhile in Ireland, we cant cut turf, and are encouraged to drive EVs, as the Russian army moves 160000 troops with diesel, and aviation fuel, and fires missile after missile as Ukraine burns releasing toxic fumes into the air

    101
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Vonvonic
    Favourite Vonvonic
    Report
    Mar 7th 2022, 8:45 PM

    @Gavin Power: Comments like yours make me realise that we almost certainly won’t solve the climate change problem. We don’t have it in us.

    40
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Quiet Goer
    Favourite Quiet Goer
    Report
    Mar 7th 2022, 9:03 PM

    Make sure you stock up on as much petrol as possible while its at €2+ per litre, the more you pay for it the more you’ll help cool the planet down. For extra planet-cooling effect leave the person behind the counter an extra tenner

    48
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Johnes
    Favourite John Johnes
    Report
    Mar 7th 2022, 9:19 PM

    @Quiet Goer: the mote tax we pay – the less co2 is produced in China! Taxes also cure cancer and allows you to live to a 100 years

    48
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Paul Gorry
    Favourite Paul Gorry
    Report
    Mar 7th 2022, 9:58 PM

    @John Johnes: And if ye pay the higher rate of tax John, ye live even longer. Well said.

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ned
    Favourite Ned
    Report
    Mar 7th 2022, 10:38 PM

    More of the same bla bla bla
    The climate change stuff has to take a backseat in the face of the issues facing the world today

    48
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe_X
    Favourite Joe_X
    Report
    Mar 8th 2022, 12:00 AM

    @Ned: It is one of the bigger issues facing the world today, but not the one with the highest priority due to what is going on in eastern Europe. Another big problem with it is how our government are going the wrong way around in dealing with it, taxing what we do have, to force us to use systems that do not exist properly in the country, instead of getting the proper infrastructures in place for EVs and public transport fhrst, and then offering incentives to get people and businesses to use them. The funny thing is, concerning businesses at least, the infrastructures were there as where the bakery she worked in the late 60′s and early 70′s used electric vans and carts to deliver bread to the shops around Cork city. You can be sure they were not the only ones.

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joe_X
    Favourite Joe_X
    Report
    Mar 8th 2022, 12:04 AM

    @Ned: sorry got a but ahead of myself there. The bakery in Cork was a place my mother worked years ago and they used EVs to get the bread to the shops around the city in the mornings, and the ICE vans did the country side runs

    10
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds