Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has said the use of plastic has grown in his lifetime and put a bag of "waste before it goes in the bin" on his desk in the Dáil to demonstrate.
Speaking during Leaders' Questions, Mr Ryan said 150 million tonnes of plastics are now in the seas, equivalent to "one dump truck" full every minute.
However, his demonstration was not well received with the Leas Ceann Comhairle telling him that "advertisements are not allowed in the house".
Pat The Cope Gallagher also asked Mr Ryan to remove the bag from the desk, adding that there had to be dignity in the house.
During Leader's Questions, Green Party leader Eamon Ryan was asked to remove his 'show and tell' bag of plastic waste pic.twitter.com/zQhdDyP8oc
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) July 5, 2017
Mr Ryan asked the Taoiseach if he would support the Green Party's waste production bill, recommending an introduction of a "deposit back" on containers such as plastic bottles so they can be saved, recycled and used again.
He also called for a ban on plastic cups which he said are not recyclables.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he would consider the bill when it goes to the floor of the house.
He said the Government was trying to reward people who reduce, reuse and compost their waste and ensure they pay less than those who do not.
The Taoiseach said Minister for the Environment Denis Naughten is looking at large-scale recycling bins outside supermarkets to reduce at source and to help supermarkets think twice about the packaging they use.
Mr Ryan accused Minister Denis Naughten of signaling that he does not want the current system changed.
Mr Varadkar said the Government is open to any ideas to reduce waste and the bill would have to be studied.
Dáil agrees Government counter-motion on bin charges
Last night, a counter-motion on bin charges was agreed by the Dáil, after negotiations between Fianna Fáil and the Government.
The Dáil spent two hours debating the Government's counter-motion on the introduction of a new system of bin charges from September.
The new system will ban flat charges and move towards a pay-by-weight and pay-by-lift system, which is already in operation in half of the country.
Fianna Fáil had opposed the move as it wanted an independent regulator to prevent price gouging, but last night the party indicated it would not block the Government's counter-motion.
The move came after the Government agreed to set up a watchdog to monitor prices on a monthly basis.
It also agreed that the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission would conduct an audit by the end of the year to provide evidence for the establishment of a regulator.
The Government has also moved to propose that a financial provision is made available for those suffering hardship when the system comes into effect, the details of which are not yet known.
Some TDs on the Opposition benches expressed concerns that the setting up of a watchdog does not go far enough.
Motion on pay scale for childcare workers
The Dáil this evening accepted a Sinn Féin motion urging the Government to develop a nationally agreed pay scale for childcare workers.
The motion called on the Government to implement rates of pay which reflect qualifications and experience for the early years workforce.
It was agreed without a vote.
