Wales is a small country with big ambitions – especially in terms of sustainability and environmental protection. Here in Wales we are committed to sustainable development and the responsibility for safeguarding the environment for future generations, so much so that we are the only nation in the world to have sustainability goals written into our statutes.
Therefore, it doesn’t come as a surprise that the Welsh Government has just announced its plans to ban single use plastic from early 2021 throughout Wales. This is only one commitment on the path to reaching our goal of “Zero Waste Wales” by 2050.
Keeping the use of plastic and single-use items to an absolute minimum has been an aim for Wales for many years. In September 2018 the Refill Cymru scheme was launched – setting Wales on the road to becoming the world’s first refill nation. Refill Cymru will substantially increase the availability of high-quality drinking water throughout the country – it has never been easier to swap a single-use plastic bottle for a taste of the rolling Welsh mountains.
Lesley Griffiths, Environment Minister of Welsh Government, says:
More Refill Stations along our coast and in our communities will help reduce the number of plastic bottles ending up in the sea, which can have a devastating effect on our marine environment. This is another step towards my ambition of Wales becoming the World’s first ‘Refill Nation’.”
The first Refill Town in Wales was Llantwit Major in South Wales. Since the introduction of the new scheme there are now over 60 refill schemes across Wales, and more than 1,800 refill stations along the 1,400 km long Wales Coast Path. A bespoke Refill App has been created making it easy to find out where you can fill up free of charge somewhere near you!
