Creating a world without plastic waste – making a difference starts at home

Across the globe millions of people are getting ready to take the Plastic Free July challenge, to create a world without plastic waste. Helping people discover ideas and create new habits to avoid single-use plastic through Plastic Free July not only supports well-being by taking action but is also making a big difference for our planet.

We know the majority of people are concerned about the plastic waste issue. Last year, even at the height of the global pandemic when use of single-use plastic seemed unavoidable, people’s concern for the environmental impacts of our waste grew.

Research conducted by the Plastic Free Foundation in September 2020 found that 92% of Australians supported action to reduce plastic waste, an increase from the previous year.

Despite this high level of concern, Australians currently generate 59kg of single-use plastic waste per year. So where is it being used? 

Recent research conducted by water filtration company, BRITA, showed that approximately 1 million Australian households primarily drink bottled water at home resulting in hundreds of millions of single-use plastic bottles being consumed and discarded every year. Other discarded items included plastic packaged food and beverage items as well as the disposable plastics used when out and about such as plastic straws, takeaway packaging and utensils.

This is where Plastic Free July comes in, it helps people to be part of the solution to plastic pollution by turning concern into action and through sharing plastic free solutions and resources.

As a nation we’ve already made a great start by changing habits such as remembering to take reusable shopping bags and using containers to store food in the fridge to avoid plastic wrap. However, it’s time for all of us to take the next steps such as avoiding plastic bottled water and other drinks, pre-packed produce and refusing plastic straws.

Choosing to refuse single-use bottled water by switching to filtered tap water using water filters like a BRITA jug (we have one in our office), and remembering a reusable drink bottle is a great way to make a difference and reduce plastic waste. Ideal for #WorldRefillDay.

Next month, millions will be taking the Plastic Free July challenge and choosing a small step or simple switch to make their plastic action count. Many find that by making changes and creating new habits to reduce their plastic waste not only helps our planet but saves money too.

According to BRITA’s research, 16 million Australians are concerned about plastic waste and we invite them to join over 300 million people taking action worldwide by choosing to refuse one or more single-use plastic items this July. Reducing plastic waste at home by switching to refillables, like a BRITA jug, and avoiding plastic packaging is a simple way to start.

BRITA Australia are contributing to the work of the not-for-profit Plastic Free Foundation to create a world without plastic waste as a Plastic Free July Challenge sponsor in 2021.

As a company BRITA has announced their Plastic Free July challenge goal – to prevent 50,000 single-use water bottles from being discarded by calling on Aussies to take a #FilterForGood pledge and give up using single-use plastic water bottles. We hope that Australians will rise to that challenge and discover a new way of enjoying water at home without the waste.

Together we can make a real difference.

1.https://www.minderoo.org/plastic-waste-makers-index/ 
2. Figure based on the 10.1514% of Australian household who mainly drink bottled water at home* against the total number of Australian households**
*BIS Oxford Economics. The Domestic Water Filters Market In Australia 2021.
**2016 Australian census https://quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/036
3. IPSOS and BRITA Market Intelligence Report Australia. Conducted in April 2021. Page 42. Figure calculated based on percentage of respondents against current Australian population^^Australian Bureau of Statistics. National, state and territory population. 30 September 2020 https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population