AQW 9464/17-22

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 02/11/2020
Answered On Date: 16/11/2020
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education, given the long-term health impacts such chemicals have to the future fertility and increase in cancers in young people, what action he is taking to remove plastics and other items that have Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals from all schools, especially school canteens and any sanitary provisions.

Answer:

The operation of school meals kitchens and dining facilities is generally a matter for the Education Authority. Although not specifically focused on endocrine-disrupting chemicals, EA has considered measures which could help to reduce or remove single use plastics in their facilities.

EA also initiated the Plastic Waste in Schools Competition, which encouraged pupils to audit, monitor, and analyse the differing types of plastic that come into their school environment, explore what their primary uses are, look at how plastics are managed and consider what happens to these plastics after use.

While these measures may help in both health and environmental terms, school canteens are not the only sources of plastics. Ultimately the solution to this is one for wider society, which will require additional research into the long term effects of these materials and suitable alternatives.