LEADING metal recycler, EMR Metal Recycling, and its plastic division, MBA Polymers, are joining the fight against plastics following a documentary, ‘War on Plastic with Hugh and Anita’ broadcast on BBC1 last Monday night (10 June).
In the programme, celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Anita Rani highlighted the world’s immense plastic problem resulting in ‘every single minute of every single day, a truck load of plastics is finding its way into the world’s ocean’.
During an experiment, Anita and Hugh put household items under scrutiny, revealing the nation’s addiction to bottled water. They explored the difference between bottled water and tap water, discovering that they’re both pretty much the same.
With sales of plastic bottled water up by 7% last year, the programme encouraged petrol and fuelling stations to join the free water refill scheme, a scheme that has gained momentum in the high street.
EMR has over 300 truck drivers that travel the length and breadth of the country. To support the scheme, the company has issued all its drivers with metal water bottles.
With over 8,400 forecourts across the country, EMR are hoping that petrol stations across the country will get on board and support the refill scheme so its drivers can refill their water bottles for free, saving the whole trucking community from buying single use plastic bottles.
EMR’s UK Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Brady said: “In the UK we have some of the highest quality drinking water in the world – and it’s from our taps!
“A plastic bottle can take up to 450 years to break down. The programme highlighted to us how one small change can have a massive impact in the war against plastics.
“Not only have we issued all our drivers with metal water bottles, we hope to install refill stations at all our 65 sites across the country, so our customers can refill to stay hydrated, save money but ultimately prevent plastic pollution.
“We ask that other firms follow suit and fuelling stations support refill points to keep our drivers and the trucking community hydrated whilst tackling plastic pollution.”
You can find your nearest refill station by downloading the Refill app: refill.org.uk.