Refill Mole Valley Initiative

Together with the other 11 local authorities in Surrey, Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) understands the urgent need to tackle avoidable plastic waste. MVDC’s commitment to addressing this issue is outlined in the ‘Single Use Plastic Strategy for Surrey’, which sets out the key objectives and actions that Surrey local authorities will be taking.

As part of its drive to encourage a reduction of single use plastic waste, MVDC has teamed up with ‘City to Sea’, to set up a local initiative called Refill Mole Valley. The scheme is backed by Dorking Business Improvement District, Transition Dorking, Surrey Hills Enterprises, Leatherhead & District Countryside Protection Society and SES water.

About Refill

City to Sea is not-for-profit organisation headed by campaigner Natalie Fee, who launched the award-winning Refill Campaign in 2017. It is estimated that the scheme, now being rolled out nationwide with support from Water UK and local water companies, will cut plastic bottle use by tens of millions each year, as well as substantially increasing the availability of high-quality drinking water.

In its original form, the Refill scheme worked by connecting people who are looking for water with thousands of local businesses, community venues, transport hubs and public fountains where they can refill for free on the go. The free Refill app can be used to locate participating businesses. The presence of a Refill window sticker is another way people can identify such venues.

More recently, the Refill scheme has expanded to include other types of refill, in addition to water. For example, the Refill app now helps people to locate venues where the can use their own reusable cups for takeaway hot drinks, lunch boxes for takeaway food, or containers for groceries and household products.

Participating venues sign up by visiting the Refill Partners page of the Refill website. Having signed up, they will receive a refill sticker to put in their window which will alert passers-by that refills can be accommodated.

How you can get involved

If you run a business and would like to sign up or learn more about the scheme, it’s really quick and easy. Please either follow the link to the Refill Partners a list of participating business can be found on the Refill app.

We are also looking for local volunteers and groups who can back the scheme to promote it on social media and encourage more businesses to sign up to the Refill app. Anyone with a passion for making a positive impact via Refill may even be interested in setting up their own local scheme. This can be done under the Refill Mole Valley umbrella and support would be provided by MVDC. If this is something you would like to support please get in touch by emailing sustainability@molevalley.gov.uk

Local Refill Stations

Too see all participating businesses in your area, please download the refill app to see where you can top-up your refillable water bottles.