Group urges local people to help reduce their use of plastic

PLASTIC has become a major problem globally, with production of the material rapidly growing since its first widespread use outside the military in the 1950s. 

Now 50 percent of all plastic produced is used only once then thrown away as waste. 

Plastic waste has become a pressing concern with fears mounting for the future.

Research has sought to quantify the damage caused by plastic waste to the world’s oceans with horrifying results. 

A 2014 study estimated that there are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic in the oceans. 

Seventy percent of marine litter in Europe is made up of 10 types of single-use plastic products and plastic fishing gear. 

A study conducted in Ireland found that 73 percent of deep sea fish had ingested plastic and a 2015 study reported that 90 percent of seabirds have plastic in their gut. 

These revelations have raised public awareness and concern over plastic waste and prompted calls for action. 

In response to this growing concern, in March 2019, the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly to ban in the EU by 2021 many single-use plastic items such as straws and cutlery. 

Across the EU an average of 31kgs of plastic waste is produced per person per year. 

In Ireland we generate 61kg of plastic waste per person per year, the highest in the EU. 

Clearly we need to reduce our plastic consumption as a matter of urgency. 

‘No Home for Plastic’ is a new initiative to help us make this change. It is run by the environmental NGO VOICE Ireland initiative and funded by the EPA. 

Voice of Irish Concern for the Environment (VOICE) is an Irish environmental NGO that empowers individuals and local communities to take positive action to conserve our natural resources. 

‘No Home for Plastic’ uses citizen science to tackle plastic consumption in homes and schools. Citizen science involves research projects in which the public is directly engaged, gathering data and collaborating with scientists to a common end goal. 

The end goal is to reduce our plastic consumption.

A spokesperson for VOICE Ireland said: “It’s a topic we feel strongly about here in VOICE, and there is a growing discontent with plastic to be heard across the country.

“The next step is to move from discontent with the status quo to action. The programme will enable people to take this step to change their plastic consumption. 

“Through the initiative households and schools will be guided through using a plastic use audit to examine the plastic in their lives. They can then sign up to simple sustainable plastic pledges to reduce their plastic consumption. 

“We are looking for people in the Dublin area to participate with the aim of reducing their plastic use.” Contact abi@voiceireland.org to sign up.