Page 47 - Plastics News November 2019

internAtionAL news

Argentina changes definition of Ireland to impose 'latte levy' by

waste, could become 'sacrificial 2021 to cut plastic waste
country'
reland will impose a so-called latte levy on disposable
Icoffee cups by 2021 in a bid to change consumer
rgentina has changed its habits and cut the environmental impact from the use
Adefinition of waste in a move of single-use plastics, its minister for climate action
that could allow it to import Minister Richard Bruton said. Ireland has begun to
millions of tonnes of plastic step up action to cut environmental impacts across its
waste discarded in the US. The economy after exceeding its annual greenhouse gas
country’s president, Mauricio emissions allocation for the third year running in 2018,
Macri, signed a decree in August pushing it further from its European Union-mandated
reclassifying some materials commitments. The government hopes the proposed
destined for recycling as levy of up to 0.25 euros ($0.27) per cup will encourage
commodities instead of waste, coffee drinkers to instead carry around reusable "Keep
allowing looser oversight of mixed and contaminated Cups" that already allow customers to claim a discount
plastic scraps that are difficult to process, and are often in some coffee shops. "One of the things we clearly have
dumped or incinerated.Social and environmental groups to do is cut down on single-use disposables and the most
say the decree is illegal and bucks a global trend toward obvious one of those is disposable cups," Climate Action
improving controls over waste imports. They worry it could Minister Richard Bruton told Irish national broadcaster
be the first step towards Argentina taking in the plastics RTE. "A lot of this is about getting people to change the
that have flooded developed nations after China began habit of a lifetime. The rate of the disposable cup levy
to refuse all but the cleanest of shipments in late 2017. would likely be 0.10 euros ($0.11), 0.15 euros ($0.17)
Jim Puckett, the executive director of the Basel Action or 0.25 euros ($0.28) once it concludes a six-week
Network, a group that fights the export of toxic waste consultation and market research. A cup of coffee in
from industrialised societies to developing nations, said: Ireland can cost about 3 euros ($3.3). Compostable
“They’re willing to become a sacrificial country where the cups that are made from biodegradable materials will
rest of the world could send their waste and they could
profit from it.” Argentinian environment official Alejandra
Acosta said advocates are misunderstanding the decree
and that it would actually be more stringent than previous
policies, although she could not explain why multiple
groups are interpreting the change as relaxing plastic
import rules. She acknowledged the government did not
do enough outreach with advocates and argued that no
mixed plastics or plastics destined for “final disposal”
or “energy recovery” via incineration would be allowed.
Acosta argued that Argentina wanted more stringent
policies than Norway did, although advocates following also be hit by the levy, Bruton said, due to a lack of
the negotiations said Argentina was set on undercutting infrastructure in the retail sector to recycle packaging
the strengthening of the convention. Because of that which has been in contact with food and drink. The
stance and the new decree, Puckett said he worries that government will develop the second phase of levies
Argentina wants to start taking in America’s waste. It from 2022, focused on takeaway food containers, and
is thought Argentina could fill the void left by China’s the third phase in a timeframe to be determined to
decision to stop accepting all but the easiest-to-recycle address food packaging in retail outlets, including for
plastics from the US, the UK and Europe. bakery items, fruit and vegetables.

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49 November 2019 Plastics News