ABOUT WORLD REFILL DAY
World Refill Day is a global day of action with an inspiring vision of a refill and reuse revolution. The campaign is designed to accelerate the transition away from single-use plastic and towards refill and reuse.
Over the last 7 years, we’ve built an unstoppable global movement of everyday activists, NGOs and sustainable businesses on a mission to make plastic pollution a thing of the past. Our research shows that people want to reduce single-use packaging, but they can’t access reusable alternatives where they shop. We need governments to legislate mandatory standards for reuse to support industry to scale-up and meet growing demand. So, this year we’re calling for international policy change, empowering our network of communities, NGOs and businesses to amplify the call with their representatives wherever they live and work.
WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT?
The overproduction and consumption of single-use plastic is creating a global environmental and humanitarian crisis. Plastic is not only polluting our planet, and contributing to the climate crisis, but it’s making its way into our bodies through the air we breathe and the food we eat. Plastic production and disposal, especially via incineration or landfill, disproportionately impacts communities of colour, low-income communities and indigenous communities by polluting the air, water, and soil that we need to survive.
We urgently need to shift from our disposable, single-use culture to a more sustainable, circular future, with reuse and refill at the centre. The good news is, we already have the tools we need to change the world. A reusable future is possible. However, for businesses to effectively navigate this transition, a level playing field facilitated by government intervention is crucial – and governments and leaders are slow to act.
What are we calling for?
This World Refill Day, we’re advocating for international legislative change, calling for legally binding reduction and reuse targets and asking for policy makers to support our Reuse Manifesto – and we’re encouraging communities, businesses, NGO’s and supporters around the world to join us.
We’re Calling for 5% of packaging to be reusable by 2026 and 30% by 2030.
WHY WE NEED A REFILL REVOLUTION
300 million
We create more than 300 million tonnes of plastic every year. Half of this is single-use.
Globally, less than 2% of packaging is reusable.
10%
Less than 10% of the plastic we use has ever been recycled.
93% of people want more access to reuse and refill options*.
*Consumer survey, City to Sea, UK, March 2024
Get Involved
Whether you’re a brand or business, a campaigner, a community group or an everyday activist there a so many ways you can take action this World Refill Day. We’ve got tools for everyone to join the refill revolution and help make single-use plastic a thing of the past. Read on to find out how YOU can get involved.
WORLD REFILL DAY IN THE MEDIA
FOR World refill day PRESS ENQUIRIES OR INTERVIEWS
Please call email press@citytosea.org.uk
Can you chip in to help us make a bigger splash?
We couldn’t run campaigns like World Refill Day without support and we’d really appreciate any donations to our first Crowdfunder appeal to ensure we can continue our political advocacy work after World Refill Day. So this year we’ve launched our first ever match-funded Crowdfunder appeal to fund our political advocacy work in this important election year.
All donations will be matched, so if you give £25 it will be doubled meaning we receive £50. Will you donate £25 to our World Refill Day Crowdfunder to help us keep up the pressure to end plastic pollution?