Sick of Plastic

Background

The Sick of Plastic campaign formed when Friends of the Earth and VOICE Ireland noticed a surge in the public’s frustration with single use plastic. Despite introducing the plastic bag tax back in 2002, we’re taking more plastic packaging home (in our reusable shopping bags) than ever! Sick of Plastic is working to empower communities to take action on single use plastics. See more information here

How it works

Producers and supermarkets are largely contributing to the plastic crisis we are facing today. As consumers, we can drive change but our individual voices are louder and stronger when we come together. Sick of Plastic want to support people in connecting with others in their local area to drive change on a bigger scale. In addition to putting pressure on Supermarkets to act on plastic, Sick of Plastic has been pressuring government to place legislation for tackling plastic. The Waste Reduction Bill demands the following;
1. Introduce a deposit return scheme for plastic bottles and aluminium cans
2. Tax single use coffee cups and promote reuse
3. Ireland to comply with EU ban on single use plastics

Highlights so far

• Supporting Zero Waste activist Diane Forsyth’s Uplift petition by inviting people to ‘ditch their plastic’ at Dáil Éireann for the petition hand-over
• Organising a nationwide ‘Shop and Drop’ day of action where 1,000’s left their unwanted plastic packaging behind in Supermarkets
• Hosting a briefing on the Waste Reduction bill for 80+ TDs and their constituents
• Joining "Break Free From Plastic" in Brussels to encourage Irish MEPs to support EU Plastic Legislation which resulted in an EU ban on some of the most problematic single use plastics
• Teaming up with Uplift to deliver a strong 30,000 signature petition to TDs ahead of discussions on the Waste Reduction Bill
• Launching a national postcard campaign in 2020 the success of which lead to sit down meetings with Ireland's top supermarkets
• Sitting down with LIDL, ALDI, TESCO's and MUSGRAVES in 2020 and 2021 to discuss plastic reductions