SEANAD ÉIREANN

AN BILLE UM MICREACHLOCHA (TOIRMEASC), 2019 MICROBEADS (PROHIBITION) BILL 2019 LEASUITHE COISTE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS

[No. 41a of 2019] [17 December, 2019]

SEANAD ÉIREANN

AN BILLE UM MICREACHLOCHA (TOIRMEASC), 2019 —AN COISTE

MICROBEADS (PROHIBITION) BILL 2019 —COMMITTEE STAGE

Leasuithe Amendments

*Government amendments are denoted by an asterisk SECTION 1 1. In page 4, to delete lines 8 to 11 and substitute the following: “ “plastic” means a synthetic polymer that can be moulded, extruded or physically manipulated into different shapes;”. —Senators , Alice-Mary Higgins. SECTION 2 2. In page 4, to delete lines 22 to 24 and substitute the following: “(1) A person shall not manufacture or place on the market a cosmetic product that contains microbeads in excess of the permitted concentration.”. —Senators Pippa Hackett, Alice-Mary Higgins. 3. In page 4, line 23, after “soluble” to insert “and/or fat soluble”. —Senators Pippa Hackett, Alice-Mary Higgins. 4. In page 4, to delete lines 25 to 27 and substitute the following: “(2) A person shall not manufacture or place on the market a cleaning product that contains microbeads in excess of the permitted concentration.”. —Senators Pippa Hackett, Alice-Mary Higgins. 5. In page 4, line 26, after “soluble” to insert “and/or fat soluble”. —Senators Pippa Hackett, Alice-Mary Higgins. SECTION 3 6. In page 4, after line 35, to insert the following:

“Prohibition of Certain Plastics 3. (1) In this section controlled plastic consumer product packaging means any plastic consumer product packaging which is for the time being declared pursuant to subsection (2) of this section to be controlled for the purposes of this Act. (2) The Minister may by order declare any plastic consumer product packaging to be

[No. 41a of 2019] [17 December, 2019] [SECTION 3]

controlled for the purposes of this Act. (3) Any order made pursuant to subsection (2) above must be made subsequent to the consultation process as outlined in section (8) of this Act. (4) In making any order pursuant to subsection (2), the Minister shall have regard to the following features of the plastic under consideration: (a) the length of time that said plastic will remain in the environment; (b) the processes involved in the production of the plastic; (c) whether the plastic is biodegradable under regular consumer conditions; (d) actual impact said plastic has on land-based or marine environment; (5) The Government may by order amend or revoke an order under this section (including an order made under this subsection). (6) Any person who sells merchandise or goods containing controlled plastic consumer product packaging shall be guilty of an offence. (7) A person who contravenes subsection (6) is liable, on summary conviction, to a fine of not more than €12,500 for each item offered for sale or supply. (8) Subject to subsection (9), the Minister— (a) may at his or her own initiative, or (b) shall at the written request of at least 5 persons all being manufactures of plastic consumer product packaging, enter into a consultation process concerning the control of plastic consumer products packaging. (9) Within 6 weeks of commencing the consultation process, the Minister shall publish a notice in two national newspapers inviting all manufactures of plastic consumer products packaging in the State to make written submissions to his or her department. (10) The Minister shall publicly respond to all such written submissions before making an order pursuant to section 4(2) of this Act.”. —Senators , Lorraine Clifford-Lee, , , , , , , Jennifer Murnane O'Connor, Ned O'Sullivan, , . 7. In page 5, to delete lines 6 and 7. —Senators Pippa Hackett, Alice-Mary Higgins. 8. In page 5, to delete lines 13 and 14. —Senators Pippa Hackett, Alice-Mary Higgins. 9. In page 5, line 29, to delete “may” and substitute “shall”. —Senators Pippa Hackett, Alice-Mary Higgins.

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10. In page 5, line 30, to delete “or” and substitute “and”. —Senators Pippa Hackett, Alice-Mary Higgins. 11. In page 5, line 31, after “and” to insert “reuse, recycling or”. —Senators Pippa Hackett, Alice-Mary Higgins. 12. In page 5, after line 37, to insert the following: “(7) Any regulation made under subsection (3) shall be valid for a period of two years unless renewed by the Minister in accordance with this section.”. —Senators Pippa Hackett, Alice-Mary Higgins. SECTION 9 13. In page 10, between lines 29 and 30, to insert the following: “(2) The Agency shall produce a report on the implementation of these Regulations after the first 12 months of their operation and lay this report before the Houses of the . The report shall include an overview of implementation including any exemptions granted with details thereof, product tests undertaken and results and any recommendations to further prevent microbead and other microplastic pollution. (3) The Agency shall produce subsequent reports under this section as it considers appropriate.”. —Senators Pippa Hackett, Alice-Mary Higgins.

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