The Problem With Single-Use Plastics

As Ireland begins to feel the fallout from China’s decision to no longer take our plastic waste, certain issues have now come to prominence as a result. One such issue is the trouble surrounding single-use plastics. With few available alternatives to exporting our plastic waste to China, these single-use plastics will begin to pile up in our recycling centres. New evidence has shown how the small plastic fragments that come from larger plastic pieces, known as microplastics, have begun to damage the oceans. A recent study by NUIG has found that 73% of deep sea fish in the northwest Atlantic have ingested microplastics. This is worrying as our plastic waste is not only affecting fish close to our shore, it is also affecting deep water fish far out at sea. Read more

Recycling Can Save Our Planet!

Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment Denis Naughten TD, announced earlier this month that Ireland has formally ratified the Paris Agreement on global climate change. Naughten described climate change as “the defining challenge of our time” and said “it is during our time that the obligation exists for us as a nation to take action”.

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