International Review of Waste Management Policy - Department of ...

estimated the figure of 5% in their first Annual National Litter Pollution Monitoring
Systems Annual Report, May 2003. 576 Consequently, one cannot be certain that the
decline in litter quantities has been as dramatic as the figure would appear to
suggest.
Figure 27-1: Plastic Shopping Bags as a % of Litter
490
29/09/09
5.00%
4.50%
4.00%
3.50%
3.00%
2.50%
2.00%
1.50%
1.00%
0.50%
Plastic Bags (Shopping Bags)
5%
0.32% 0.25% 0.22%0.22%
0.52% 0.29% 0.32%
0.00%
Prior to Levy 2002 2003
1
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Source: National Litter Pollution Monitoring Systems, Annual Reports, www.litter.ie
Prior to the introduction of the plastic bag levy in March 2002, it was estimated that
1.3 billion shopping bags were issued annually, and that they contributed a visually
very intrusive form of litter pollution. 577 The National Litter Pollution Monitoring
Systems Survey results in Figure 4-1 show a significant decrease in the percentage of
plastic bags, from 5% prior to the Plastic Bag Levy to 0.32% in 2002. A further
decrease to 0.22% followed in both the 2004 and 2005 survey periods. In 2006 the
number of plastic bags, constituted 0.52% of the National Litter Composition.
However in 2007 the percentage of plastic bags subsequently decreased to
0.29%. 578 This decrease in 2007 may be attributable to the increase in the plastic
bag levy to 22 cents on 1 st July 2007. In 2008, the percentage of plastic bags
increased slightly to 0.32%.
As part of the research for the paper on “The most popular tax in Europe? Lessons
from the Irish plastic bags levy”, an evaluation of the impact of the levy on
householders and retail sector was completed. This involved interviewing seven
leaders in the retail sector and conducting random telephone interviews with
consumers, the results being as follows:
576 National Litter Pollution Monitoring Systems, Annual Report May 2003, www.litter.ie
577 This further highlights, perhaps, the significance of ‘visibility’ as opposed to ‘counts’ in considering
litter-related disamenity (as discussed in Section 16.6.3 of these Annexes).
578 National Litter Pollution Monitoring Systems, Annual Reports, www.litter.ie