4 December 2017
More than 100 businesses sign up to Refill Brighton & Hove - a campaign to reduce consumption of single-use plastic bottles by offering free tap water to the public
In just two months, over 100 businesses in Brighton & Hove - including some of the city's most popular businesses Small Batch Coffee Company, The Flour Pot Bakery, Marwood's Cafe, Fitness First, ibis Hotel and traders in the Open Market - have all signed up to the Refill Brighton & Hove scheme.
A partnership between Brighton Peace & Environment Centre, Bristol-based City to Sea (who piloted the initiative in Bristol in 2015), and a team of committed volunteers, Refill Brighton & Hove encourages us to fall back in love with tap water and prevent plastic pollution - one bottle at a time.
What is Refill?
Refill Brighton & Hove is part of a nationwide scheme that aims to make filling up your reusable water bottle as easy and convenient as possible by introducing a city-wide network of 'Refill Stations' - places where people are free to ask for their bottles to be refilled with no obligation to purchase anything.
Participating cafés, bars, restaurants, shops, hotels and other businesses show their commitment by displaying a sticker in their window, and adding themselves to the Refill map. A free downloadable app available from refill.org.uk shows exact locations of refill points, including publicly accessible mains water taps (such as the ones on The Level and Hove beach huts).
Why is it important?
In the UK an estimated 800 plastic bottles a minute are either ending up in landfill or as litter, many of them make their way into our waterways and seas. Globally, 8 million tonnes of plastic finds its way into the oceans each year.
Brighton & Hove is a seaside city with a unique mix of residents, workers, tourists and students, and faces a unique set of challenges and opportunities: Refill aims to stem the flow of plastic pollution by encouraging people to change their behavior - starting with how we consume water.
Mala Nathan, Refill Brighton & Hove's Project Co-ordinator said:
"We're delighted by the overwhelmingly positive response by businesses in the city to this campaign. We are collectively becoming all too aware of the environmental impact of our consumption of single-use plastics, from drinking straws to take-away packaging. Refill is a simple campaign that can drastically reduce our consumption of single use plastic bottles, as well as encouraging a culture of community and healthy hydration.
"Brighton Peace & Environment Centre is leading on the Refill Brighton initiative, and since September we have been focusing on establishing our network of Refill Stations around the city. Next year, we'll be launching the network to the public and looking at ways to encourage people to change their behaviour and start refilling. We also plan to distribute reusable water bottles at major events such as Brighton Marathon and Pride, and at key locations such as Brighton Station."
Louise Tamadon-Nejad, Marketing Manager of the Flour Pot Bakery said:
"We try our best at the Flour Pot Bakery to do our bit for the planet, whenever we can. With an estimated 12m tonnes of plastic entering the oceans each year, and residues being routinely found in fish, sea birds and marine mammals, we must act to support local initiatives being set up to combat this.
We believe that Refill Brighton shares our values in looking to end single use plastic, wherever possible. Across our 5 stores in Brighton and Hove, we offer you a place to refill your own water bottle, without feeling awkward. We aim to help Refill Brighton cut down on the use of plastic water bottles drastically, reduce litter and create a healthier environment for our community".
We believe that Refill Brighton shares our values in looking to end single use plastic, wherever possible. Across our 5 stores in Brighton and Hove, we offer you a place to refill your own water bottle, without feeling awkward. We aim to help Refill Brighton cut down on the use of plastic water bottles drastically, reduce litter and create a healthier environment for our community".
Refill Brighton & Hove is now looking for a headline sponsor to support its high-profile activity across the city in 2018. Interested businesses can email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Ends.
PRESS & MEDIA ENQUIRIES
For interview and information requests, contact:
Rasheed Rahman, Refill Brighton & Hove Communications Co-ordinator
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | 07968 39 1763
High-res images can be downloaded here (please credit http://rosemaryandporkbelly.co.uk)
NOTES FOR EDITORS
About Refill
Refill is a national, practical tap water campaign that aims to make refilling your bottle as easy, convenient and cheap as bottle by introducing refill points on every street. Refill is currently happening in Brighton & Hove, Bristol, Cornwall, Dorset, Devon, Bath, Bradford-on-Avon and Bicester & Banbury.
About Brighton Peace & Environment Centre
BPEC is a development education centre and charity based in the heart of Brighton. We are at an exciting stage with three new projects underway: Refill Brighton is our project to reduce and ultimately eliminate disposable plastic water bottle use in the city; Energywise is our new affordable warmth project that will engage those most at risk from fuel poverty; and Breathe in Brighton, an initiative to improve our air quality.
About City to Sea
City to Sea C.I.C is a Bristol-based initiative created to tackle marine plastic pollution at source. Funded projects to date include 'Switch the Stick' - a successful national campaign to stop plastic pollution from cotton buds at source, and 'Refill', a simple yet effective campaign to encourage free tap water refills across the UK.