PLANS are in the pipeline to tackle plastic waste and commit to a Refill scheme in Leamington.
Warwick and Leamington MP Matt Western – with the support of BID Leamington – is looking at ways for the town to cut down on unnecessary plastic usage.
By participating in the Refill scheme cafés and shops let passers-by know they can refill water bottles with no obligation to spend money.
The scheme was originally launched in Bristol in 2015 by campaign organisation City to Sea and has since grown to 16,000 stations across the country. It features a downloadable app which allows people to add their businesses to the map so users can find their nearest Refill station.
Mr Western said: “I am pressing for a ‘Refill’ scheme for the area by working with local businesses and BID Leamington to reduce the number of plastic water bottles being used each year.
“This is an opportunity to have new water fountains installed in public places but the scheme works readily with participating cafés, shops, hotels and others that are willing to refill local residents’ water bottles for free. This will also facilitate a wider conversation about reusable materials and ensuring an environmentally sustainable future.
“We need to drastically reduce the amount of plastic we use in order to help protect our environment and this is an innovative local strategy that should be introduced. It is a simple and completely free scheme which can radically reduce the number of water bottles being sold locally.”
The MP and the BID team are arranging a meeting for local business owners and have launched a Facebook page to discuss ideas.
A number of shops and cafés in the town are already participating in the scheme including Neal’s Yard Remedies on Regent Street, The Royal Pump Rooms and Brunch on Guy’s Cliffe Avenue.
Visit refill.org.uk to download the free app.
