{"id":3572,"date":"2019-12-05T08:57:32","date_gmt":"2019-12-05T08:57:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/factcheckni.org\/?p=3572"},"modified":"2022-03-23T14:13:38","modified_gmt":"2022-03-23T14:13:38","slug":"has-levy-removed-1-2-billion-carrier-bags","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/factcheckni.org\/topics\/economy\/has-levy-removed-1-2-billion-carrier-bags\/","title":{"rendered":"Has levy removed 1.2 billion carrier bags?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
The claim is accurate. Data from annual reports from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) calculates a cumulative reduction of the dispensing of 1,230,620,479 carrier bags.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In its 2019 Westminster manifesto<\/a>, the Social Democratic Labour Party (SDLP) claimed the following in a section entitled \u201cDelivering Climate Justice\u201d:<\/p>\n\n\n This article researches the primary claim of the reduction in the dispensing of carrier bags and also examines how much revenue and expenditure can be explained by the carrier bag levy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Background<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n On 30 January 2012, the then environment minister in Northern Ireland, the SDLP\u2019s Alex Attwood, announced<\/a> a 5 pence carrier bag levy would be imposed throughout Northern Ireland the following year, 2013<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The levy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n NI Direct describes<\/a> the aim of this initiative as being:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c…to protect the environment by greatly cutting the number of carrier bags used. Reusing carrier bags saves natural resources and reduces the need for landfill.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to NIDirect<\/a>, to date, the funds collected as a result of the levy have been used to \u201cdeliver projects which both protect and enhance the environment\u201d. This includes the Environment Fund<\/a>, administered by DAERA, as one of the mechanisms through which the proceeds of the carrier bag levy have been used to allow not-for-profit organisations and councils to deliver key environmental priorities across Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Single Use Carrier Bags Charge Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2013<\/a> were made on 15 January 2013 and came into operation on 8 April 2013. From that date, all sellers of goods in Northern Ireland had to charge their customers at least 5 pence (\u201cthe levy\u201d) for each single use carrier bag supplied new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From 19 January 2015, the levy was extended to all carrier bags with a retail price of less than 20 pence, whether they are considered single use or reusable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The levy does not apply when the bags:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bags removed from circulation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n DAERA publish annual statistics relating to the carrier bag levy. In its most recent report for 2018\/19, it provides a table of data<\/a> (see Figure 1 in the report) that shows the total number of carrier bags dispensed in Northern Ireland, per annum, with the cumulative difference from the baseline figure in 2012. This data is summarised in the following graphic:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The data and graphic show annual figures that are less than the baseline figure of 300,000,000 carrier bags dispensed in 2012, with a cumulative reduction of the dispensing of carrier bags at 1,230,620,479 bags. This corroborates the claim of \u201cremoving 1.2 billion bags\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Funds raised since 2012<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) details<\/a> the number of carrier bags dispensed each financial year under the carrier bag levy in Northern Ireland in an annual report since its introduction in 2013.Under an SDLP Minister, the Executive introduced the plastic bag levy, raising almost \u00a330m for environmental projects and removing 1.2 billion bags from circulation since 2012.<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
The funds raised through this levy are detailed in consecutive years reports:<\/p>\n\n\n\n