15/06/23

Returning for its third year, Global Refill Day will be taking place on Friday, June 16.

Refill Day is a Global Day of Action to highlight the need for everyone to move away from disposable, single use products and move to a more sustainable circular future with refill and reuse at the core.

Cardiff Council has been signed up to the scheme since it began, working with cafes and restaurants to encourage them to let people re-fill their water bottle on the move to reduce single use plastics in the city.

Since then, the scheme has expanded, so not only can people refill their water bottle for free, but there are discounted offers and awards for other drinks at coffee shops if you bring your own cup, as well as cheaper deals for lunch if you bring your own lunch box.

Cllr Caro Wild, Cabinet Member for Climate Change said: "As a society, we all need to make changes in our lifestyles to move away from the ‘throw away society' that we all live in. A significant amount of carbon is produced when manufacturing products and packaging, so why do we then throw these products away when we can reuse them? it doesn't make sense.

"The global figures on plastic production are frightening. Globally we create 300 million tonnes of plastic each year and half of this is a single use plastic. Research shows that less than 10% of the plastic produced has been recycled. As a council, we are taking steps to reduce single use plastic and the Refill Scheme is part of this.

"Council staff will be giving out free refillable water bottles to the public this Friday outside Cardiff Market, near to our first new water fountain. The council will be installing more water fountains in the city, so if your business or community building is interested in hosting a water fountain, please get in touch by emailinglovewhereyoulive@cardiff.gov.uk"

Single use plastic remains one of the biggest issues facing the environment in our lifetime, as plastic doesn't decompose and is often discarded as litter in public open spaces, rivers, and in the sea. This is not only unsightly but causes a danger to wildlife.

Join us and millions of people around the world and choose to reuse to prevent plastic pollution-www.worldrefillday.org

Get the FREE @Refill app to find out where you can eat, drink and shop inCardiffwithout plastic & where to fill up your water bottle for free by visitinghttps://www.refill.org.uk/