25th February 2002

PRESS RELEASE

GREEN PARTY CALLS ON PUBLIC TO SEND ‘A MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE’ TO ENVIRONMENT MINISTER

The Green Party has launched a recycling campaign with a difference to highlight the growing waste mountain of plastic bottles.

It has called on the public to send a ‘message in a bottle’ to Environment Minister Noel Dempsey.

“We’re asking members of the public to post used plastic milk containers and cola bottles to the Minister for the Environment”, stated Ciarán Cuffe of the Green Party. “Just place a 38 Cent stamp on the outside and address it to:

Noel Dempsey, TD, Minister for the Environment,

Custom House, Dublin 1

“Inside the bottle you can enclose a note asking the Minister to increase recycling facilities, and to encourage the reintroduction of the glass milk bottle.

“Remember to wash the container first, and you may need to scrunch it up slightly to fit into the average post box. Use an indelible marker for writing the Minister’s name and address on the outside, and be sure to ask for a reply.

“We feel that this is a good way to highlight the lack of recycling facilities for plastics. In Dún Laoghaire there is only one location to recycle plastic bottles. It is a mobile service that is only available on the 3rd Saturday of each month for two hours from 10 am to 12 noon at Our Lady of Good  Counsel Church in Johnstown. The Oxigen recycling service does not accept plastic drink bottles.

“We feel this is a fun way to put a serious point across”

ENDS

For further information contact:

Ciarán Cuffe     087 265 2075 or 618 3082