Plastic Bag Environmental Levy

Information

The Plastic Bag Environmental Levy is a charge on plastic shopping bags that was introduced throughout Ireland on 4th March 2002. The charge applies at the point of sale in shops, supermarkets, service stations and all sales outlets. Retailers must pass on the full amount of the levy as a charge to customers at the checkout. The charge for your plastic shopping bag will be itemised on all invoices, receipts or dockets issued to customers. 

Environmental Fund

It was estimated that some 1.2 billion plastic shopping bags were provided free of charge to customers in retail outlets annually, before the introduction of the levy. This was excessive and largely unnecessary. Plastic bags are a very visible component of litter in Ireland throughout our towns, coastlines and in the countryside. They have a negative impact on our environment and on our wildlife and their habitats. The charge is being introduced to encourage the use of reusable bags and to change people's attitudes to litter and pollution in Ireland.

Revenue generated from the Plastic Bag Environmental Levy will go into the new Environmental Fund. This fund is used to support waste management, litter and other environmental initiatives.

Rules

You will not be charged for all plastic shopping bags as there are some exemptions:

Exemptions from the levy

Smaller plastic bags that are used to store non-packaged goods such as:

• Dairy products
• Fruit, vegetables or nuts
• Confectionery
• Cooked food, whether it is hot or cold
• Ice

are exempt from the levy.

The levy also does not apply to:

• Smaller plastic bags that are used to store fresh meat, fish and poultry, both packaged and unpackaged.
• Bags for life costing more than 70 cent
• Bags supplied to intending passengers in airports and ports and passengers on board commercial aircraft and ships.
• Items sold in the secure 'duty free' zone of airports in Ireland. (This is irrespective of whether or not the goods are 'duty free'. Items sold in the departure/arrivals zones of the airport are not exempt.

Complaints about breaches of the law

Retailers are required to comply with the law and charge for plastic bags where appropriate. If you wish to complain about a retailer who is not charging for plastic bags, you should contact the Environmental Awareness Officer, or the Waste Enforcement Officer of your local authority.

You should make your complaint in writing, clearly identifying the name and address of the retailer, the instances where plastic bags being issued without charge, etc. Remember to include your own contact details so the local authority can verify your information. All information regarding your complaint is confidential and your personal details will not be passed to the retailer.

Following receipt of your complaint, your local authority will send an inspector to the retailer's premises. The inspector will purchase an item and request an itemised receipt. If the plastic bag levy does not appear on the receipt the local authority has two options. They may choose to issue a warning to the retailer and a reminder about the levy. Or, they may choose to initiate legal proceedings against the retailer. It is a matter for the local authority to decide how they will proceed. Contact information for local authorities throughout Ireland is available here.

Rates

The levy is 15 cent per bag carrying goods that are not exempt. (From 1 July 2007, the levy will increase to 22 cent.)  Retailers are obliged by law to pass on this charge to you and your receipt must reflect the charge for the bag.

Where To Apply