World Refill Day

World Refill Day is on the 16^th of June, and this year’s initiative seeks to encourage businesses to join the reuse and refill revolution. This call to action aims to emphasise the fact that despite an increase in public awareness over recent years, plastic pollution remains a growing environmental problem.

The campaigning organisations, ‘City to Sea’, ‘Break Free From Plastic Movement’ and ‘Friends of the Earth’ are joining forces to lead the global charge to help people live with less plastic.  ‘Break Free From Plastic’ is also launching a new campaign with ‘WeMove’ Europe, calling on individuals throughout the continent to commit to reuse.

Reuse is the new recycling and it is redefining the outlook of the circular economy, therefore, this campaign is vital as Europe could save 11 billion items from landfill, littering or incineration by increasing the amount they reuse. Exclusive analysis released by ‘City to Sea’, shows that currently Europe burns, landfills, and litters over 50 billion single-use beverage containers a year, the majority of which are plastic, and plastic products make up 75% of all marine pollution.

New polling research commissioned in the UK by ‘City to Sea’ and ‘Friends of the Earth’ show 81% of Brits want the UK government to make refillable products easier to buy and more widely available, as a main priority for reducing plastic pollution. According to the new poll, three out of four people (74%) would like to see more refill options so they can limit the amount of single-use plastic in their lives.

To support this drive, ‘City to Sea’ created the Refill app, which is the world’s first dedicated app to connect people to places they can refill and reuse to avoid single-use plastic and access safe, clean drinking water. To date, the free, location-based app has been downloaded more than 350,000 times worldwide.

The Refill app allows users to find local businesses that prevent pointless plastic by connecting users with restaurants that allow customers to be served in their own lunchboxes, shops that offer plastic free shopping, and businesses that provide free water refills and offer customers discounts for bringing their own coffee cup.

Gloucester currently has a locally led refill scheme which champions the reuse revolution in the city. The initiative allows people to fill up reusable water bottles at member businesses such as pubs, restaurants, museums and cafes. Businesses involved can display the ‘Refill’ window sticker to let passers-by know they can fill up for free, and the Refill app is also available to map out Refill station locations. Gloucester businesses can join the refill movement by signing up for the app here to alert customers that they’re welcome to go in and get a Refill. Gloucester businesses that currently offer refill services include The Comfy Pew, The Sword Inn, Knobbly Cobb and McDonald’s. Local businesses are encouraged to sign up to become a refill station to help power the Refill Revolution by making it easier for everyone to Refill, and live with less plastic.