Join the re-fill revolution and say goodbye to bottled drinking water

Sarah Goldsmith | Sustainability, | Choosing the right water dispenser | Articles

Addressing environmental issues has become a global paramount concern. Despite efforts to promote recycling, only 9% of single-use plastics actually get recycled, with the rest of the plastic waste ending up littered, in landfill or in oceans.

In response, governments are increasingly setting Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals, aiming to mitigate these detrimental impacts and foster sustainable practices.

Reducing single use plastic isn’t just a government concern, today’s consumers are choosing to be more sustainable in their everyday choices. Gen Z have contributed to the uprise of the re-fillable Stanley cup, school children now have a re-fillable water bottle on their desk, something that didn’t happen 20 years ago. People are more conscious to make the right, sustainable decision now with regards to how they take their refreshments.

At Borg & Overström we have eliminated the requirement for single use plastic with our point of use integrated water dispensers and instead advocate the use of re-fillable bottles by which to enjoy our freshly filtered drinking water.

Whether in the workplace, schools and universities, gyms or airports, our products go a long way in helping to provide a more sustainable drinking water choice.

In this article we will highlight ways in which refillable bottles offer several important benefits for both individuals and the environment:

Refill, re-use and reduce plastic waste

Refillable bottles help reduce the consumption of single-use plastic bottles, such as Evian and Highland Spring water, which are a significant source of pollution in oceans, landfills, and natural habitats. By using refillable bottles, individuals can minimise their contribution to plastic waste and it encourages sustainable consumption habits as people are more aware of the impact on the environment that single use plastic has. It reinforces the importance of reducing waste and conserving resources for present and future generations. Next time, grab your re-fillable bottle instead of a bottle of Buxton water.

Hotels, businesses and healthcare facilities are striving to meet their ESG goals and reducing their plastic waste consumption and are replacing previous single use plastic water bottles with carafes of water filled from appoint of use dispenser.

At Borg & Overström our integrated drinking water dispensers help to eliminate the need for single use plastic drinking water bottles, with one dispenser eliminating around 35,000 single use plastic bottles in its lifetime.

Our systems offer a sustainable solution by providing clean, refreshing, premium water at the touch of a button.

Workplace environments are swapping out fridges and chiller units, previously stacked with single use plastic water drinks bottles and replacing them with POU water dispensers and integrated tap systems, which don’t run out, don’t require vast storage space and provide a hydrating chilled, sparkling, ambient or hot water refreshment.

Conservation of resources

Producing single-use plastic bottles requires significant amounts of natural resources, including petroleum for plastic production and water for bottle manufacturing. Refillable bottles help conserve these resources by reducing the demand for new plastic bottles. Did you know that if you fill a plastic water bottle so it is about 25% full, that’s about how much oil it took to make the bottle?

A typical hotel can save 2.2k tonnes of CO2 per 10 rooms by replacing bottled water with a T2 integrated tap instead.

There’s also the factor of fuel consumption with regards to the transportation of single use plastic water bottles around the globe. This simply isn’t necessary with an integrated drinking water system, which once delivered, then can provide unlimited drinking water. A typical hotel can save 2.2k tonnes of CO2 per 10 rooms by replacing bottled water with a T2 integrated tap instead. At Borg & Overström we also moved our manufacture to nearshore, reducing our transport carbon emissions significantly.

Filter out microplastics

Refillable bottles made from high-quality materials, such as stainless steel or glass, are often BPA-free and do not leach harmful chemicals into beverages. This promotes safer drinking practices and reduces exposure to potentially harmful substances found in some plastic bottles. More and more is coming to the surface about the dangers and health implications of single use plastic bottles leaving microplastics within drinking water.

Without more research we won’t yet know the dangers this causes to people ingesting the microplastics, but there is more awareness of the fact that microplastics are around and don’t really biodegrade so could be within someone’s system for a long time.

With Borg & Overström, our re-fillable stations allow you to drink safer water as re-fillable bottles can be used rather than the one time only plastic bottles.

Cost savings

Refillable bottles can result in cost savings over time compared to purchasing single-use bottles repeatedly. While the initial investment may be higher, refillable bottles can be used time and time again, eliminating the need to purchase new bottles frequently.

When a re-fillable bottle is paired with a Borg & Overström integrated water dispenser the savings are significant. With no requirement for a regular purchase order to buy in bottled water stocks, to not having to waste precious square meterage for storage, nor having energy costs to chill quantities of plastic bottles, a one time cost for re-fillable bottles with a POU dispenser which will last when serviced for 5-10 years, means a lot less strain on budgets.

In summary, refillable bottles play a crucial role in reducing plastic waste, conserving resources, promoting sustainable practices, and contributing to a healthier environment and economy, especially when paired with a Borg & Overström drinking water dispenser.

If you would like more information about our product range which includes, drinking water dispensers as well as integrated tap systems, please get in touch with our sales team who will be happy to assist you.