New legislation to create a ‘circular economy’ is coming, involving a “radical change” to production and consumption, limiting single use products and clamping down on littering and dumping,
The Government’s proposed Circular Economy Bill 2021 has been welcomed by Green Party Galway City Central councillor, Martina O’Connor, and the party’s Galway senator, Pauline O’Reilly.
The Bill, if enacted, will implement many of the actions in the Government’s Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy and the forthcoming Circular Economy Strategy.
“The current disposable approach to everything from food wrapping to clothing and white goods is swamping our lives in waste and litter,” said Cllr O’Connor, who is also the chair of the Galway City Council’s environment, climate change, recreation, and amenity SPC. “There is nowhere for all this waste to go. No one wants a dump or incinerator near their home or amenity area.”
Cllr O’Connor said that as current levels of consumption and waste production are unsustainable, and that “vast amounts of money are spent” collecting coffee cups, food wrapping, cans, and bottles, developing a new attitude of ‘Don’t waste’, as put forward by Sir David Attenborogh, is essential.
Attenborogh said recently: “You can do more and more and more the longer you live, but the best motto to think about is not to waste things. Don’t waste electricity, don’t waste paper, don’t waste food. Live the way you want to live but just don’t waste. Look after the natural world, and the animals in it, and the plants in it too. This is their planet as well as ours. Don’t waste them.”
Cllr O’Connor said part of that new attitude needs to be that white goods are likely to be repairable when a fault occurs, rather than having to pay out for a replacement because they are not built to last.“An Meitheil Rothar is a good example of this approach in action focusing on bicycle repair and skill sharing,” she said. “We now need to see initiatives with a similar ethos supported in Galway. I believe people will welcome this approach and adapt quickly once options are available to them.”
Sen Pauline O’Reilly said one of her hopes for the new legislation will be the rolling out of bottle return schemes in Galway and other infrastructure, such as water fountains.
“In May, Green Party Minister Eamon Ryan provided funding for bins to Galway City Council to support an outdoor summer,” she said. “The next step is to stop waste and throwaway culture.”
