Words by Smiley Team
On World Refill Day, an international awareness campaign spread enthusiasm for living with as little waste as possible. This year, a network of NGOs rallied to encourage reuse in a concerted effort to reduce plastic pollution.
Non-profit organisations and campaign groups have united to build momentum for the campaign. These include environmental organisations City to Sea, the Break Free From Plastic movement and Friends of the Earth.
Among them, Break Free From Plastic launched a petition with community-driven organisation WeMove Europe, to bolster support for reuse as a solution to the plastic littering our lands and seas.
The petition calls on European leaders to hike up their efforts to tackle plastic pollution and “rethink packaging”, through committing to reuse and setting industry standards across the continent.
Delphine Lévi Alvarès, #BreakFreeFromPlastic Europe Coordinator for the #WeChooseReuse Campaign said: “For the wellbeing of people and the planet, it is urgent for us to rethink business models and policies, in order to build the circular economy of tomorrow.”
In the UK, 81 per cent of the population want the government to make it easier to find and buy refillable products as a means to tackling plastic pollution, according to a survey from City to Sea and Friends of the Earth.
The survey revealed that three out of four people would be happy to have more refill options for items such as dried food, takeaway coffees and laundry detergent. While over half of those surveyed think supermarkets and big brands are not acting fast enough to combat plastic waste.
“Over the past five years, we have exposed the devastating impact of plastic pollution,” added Delphine, “and we’re here to support the vibrant and innovative initiatives taking place all over Europe to make reuse a reality.”
On social media, Break Free From Plastic is supporting the petition with a #WeChooseReuse campaign. Together with businesses and municipalities, they demand that governments create effective reuse systems around Europe.
“We are convinced that reuse is the solution, and as World Refill Day has proven, so do businesses and individuals around the world,” said Delphine.
The international #breakfreefromplastic Movement aims to create a future free from plastic pollution. Since launching in 2016, over 11,000 organisations and individual supporters from around the globe have joined the call to stop producing single-use plastics and resolve the mounting problem of plastic waste.
By putting your voice behind their #WeChooseReuse campaign, you can help promote reuse as a solution to plastic pollution.
Sign the petition asking governments to adopt reuse systems and regulate companies’ plastic usage here.
Find more information about Break Free From Plastic here.
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