HEAVY PLASTIC BAGS sold by supermarkets are to be levied for the first time in an effort to get consumers to switch to non-plastic ‘bags for life’.

It is understood that Minister Richard Bruton will bring a memo to Cabinet tomorrow outlining a number of options to increase environmental levies in a bid to encourage more sustainable behaviour by customers.

Included in the plans is a proposal to increase the plastic bag levy by three cent to 25 cent and to remove the current exemption from plastic bag levy enjoyed by medium weight plastic bags.

This would mean the genuine ‘bag for life’ bags, would remain exempt but more of the disposal plastic bags now offered by many supermarkets would be subject to the levy .

On average, every person generates approximately 58kg of plastic packaging waste per year.

So, what do you think of the proposal?

Poll: Will a levy increase make you give up plastic bags at the supermarket?

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