Sinn Féin spokesperson on Climate Justice, Senator Lynn Boylan, has said the government must stop talking out of both sides of its mouth when it comes to protecting the environment and tackling climate changes.

She added that it is time to end the waste and ban the dumping of new and unused products, and said the government must back Sinn Féin’s legislation in the Seanad this week.

Senator Boylan said:

“The Government continues to talk out both sides of their mouths when it comes to protecting the environment and tackling climate change.

“It’s time to end the waste and ban the dumping of new and unused products, they need to back Sinn Féin’s legislation in the Seanad this week.

“We are calling for an immediate ban on the dumping of new goods by corporations. This practice perpetuates waste, exacerbates environmental degradation, and deepens social inequalities.

“In the fashion and electronics industries especially, we witness countless perfectly usable products being needlessly destroyed to maximize profit.

“With the proliferation of online shopping, this problem has reached alarming levels. Returned items, often in pristine condition, are recklessly discarded instead of being resold. Recent research carried out by DHL has said that ‘returns have increased by 19% and 17% of businesses are turning to disposal as their primary method for handling returned items’.

“Some luxury brands have been documented destroying goods to maintain exclusivity rather than see them be resold in charity shops.

“This legislation would ban the practice of dumping unused goods and force companies to redistribute excess stock to charities and people who need them.

“In a cost-of-living crisis, when people are going without necessities, dumping electronics, hygiene products and household items instead of giving them to people who need them, it is morally bankrupt.

“For too long, the government and corporations have tried to put the blame for our environmental catastrophe squarely on the shoulders of individuals as consumers.

“In contrast, this bill highlights Sinn Féin’s commitment to a different approach that puts blame where it lies – on corporations who put profit over planet.

“Our legislation addresses the root causes of waste, which is overproduction, and challenges the prevailing notion of limitless growth at the expense of our environment.

“It requires strong government leadership to stand up to corporate interests who benefit from the status quo, and I urge them to back our bill.”