Plastic free living
Medway Council is committed to becoming a single-use plastic free council. Plastic pollution has devastating effects on the environment and hinders our ability to address the climate crisis.
What you can do
Every individual can make a difference when it comes to plastic pollution.
Here are some tips on how to start using less plastic:
- carry a reusable water bottle and a reusable coffee cup
- make your own packed lunch using a reusable lunchbox and snack pots
- bring your own shopping bag
- say no to plastic straws
- switch to bamboo toothbrushes, hairbrushes and make-up brushes
- try silicone sponges, they can be washed at high temperatures and do not harbour bacteria
- switch to shampoo and conditioner bars, eliminating plastic bottles
- buy local – farm shops, grocers, bakers and butchers use less packaging and have a greatly reduced carbon footprint
- get involved in local community initiatives such as the Refill Scheme.
Refill Scheme
Have you #GotTheBottle? Save money, stay hydrated and help prevent plastic pollution.
Fill up your water bottle on the go with Refill. Just download the Refill app and find your nearest refill station in Medway when you’re out and about.
Download the free Refill app:
In the UK we use 7.7 billion plastic water bottles each year, only half of which are recycled. If just 1 in 10 of us refilled just once per week, we’d use 340 million fewer plastic bottles every year.
Register your business as a Refill station
Help us reduce single-use plastic by offering free tap water refills to your customers who bring along their reusable bottles.
Restaurants, cafes and businesses can sign up to the app and register as a Refill station.
You will join over 20,000 businesses keeping Britain hydrated and helping to prevent plastic pollution.
Refill is good for your business because:
- 70% of people view a business more favourably if they offer tap water refills
- 66% of people would be more likely to make a purchase while refilling their bottle
- 65% of people would be more likely to return to make future purchases.
Place a sticker in your window to let passers by know you’ll refill their bottle for free.
How to sign up as a Refill station
Sign up to the Refill app on the Refill website.
If you have questions about registering as a station please email eet@medway.gov.uk.
Reduce, reuse, recycle
Recycling does not stop on the kerbside, find out where waste and recycling has ended up.
Got some plastics that you want to recycle?
When recycling plastic you need to be mindful of different recycling conditions. Not all plastics can go into your standard household recycling bin. They require specific processes and heat conditions to break down.
Visit our A-Z of recycling to check how to recycle different materials.