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Every minute, one million plastic water bottles are purchased and disposed of around the world.
While many of these bottles are sent to recycling centres, many others are added to growing litter piles on beaches and in public parks. With plastic pollution impacting our natural environment and marine life, councils in Dublin have decided it’s time to take preventative action.
Related: Eight ways to break up with plastic
Earlier this year, Green Party councillor David Healy proposed the installation of drinking water fountains across the capital; explaining plastic waste can be reduced by giving people the option to refill their reusable water bottles.
He said, “Beach cleaning volunteers and council staff in Sutton, Howth, Portmarnock and Malahide consistently find plastic bottles are a major part of the litter on beaches. We hope that providing drinking water will be a small contribution towards reducing this waste.”
The first of these water fountains has already been installed by Fingal County Council at the junction of Harbour Road and Abbey Road in Howth; while a second one is expected to be installed at Malahide Demesne shortly. According to the journal.ie, Dublin City Council and South Dublin County Council also plan to roll out the fountains for their respective communities.
The fountains are being installed with the help of Refill Ireland, a voluntary environmental project dedicated to reducing single-use plastic. Their clever tap-shaped design allows people to drink from the fountain directly, or to fill up their bottle while on-the-go.
Councillor Healy said this is just a small step towards reducing plastic waste in Dublin; adding, “Of course a national deposit and return system for plastic bottles is essential.”
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