Ireland could double tax on plastic bags
The Irish tax on plastic bags could double under proposals tabled in a new bill due to be published next month.
The Environmental Bill will contain a clause that will give ministers the capacity to increase the present tax of €0.22 per single-use carrier bag to a maximum of €0.44, an official from the Department of the Environment told FoodProductionDaily.com. But he stressed that the rise would be implemented “incrementally”.
The measure has been introduced after it appeared people were beginning to purchase plastic bags in favour of re-usable ones. The levy on plastic bags would be used as a way to ensure a "sufficient deterrent" to shoppers who arrived at checkouts without bringing bags of their own.
Ireland was the first country to introduce a tax on plastic bags in 2002, which has generated revenues of more than €120m.
