Bangkok aims to reduce plastic use with more water refill stations

To combat plastic pollution, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA)’s Bottle Free Seas project has proven to be a roaring success, with plans now underway to expand its reach by installing an additional 200 drinking water refill points across the city.

Launched last August, this eco-initiative has already made a significant dent in plastic bottle consumption, slashing the usage of a staggering 456,894 plastic bottles.

Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, the brains behind this green revolution, revealed that the refill stations, set up in partnership with the Environmental Justice Foundation, aim to provide a convenient alternative to plastic bottles for the public.

“Every time a bottle is refilled at these stations, one less single-use plastic bottle is used.”

Currently, these free drinking water refill stations are strategically located at various hotspots across the city, including Benjakitti Park, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, CentralWorld, Seacon Square, Fortune Town, Thanaburi Ramya Park, Wachirabenchathat Park, Na Phra Lan Tunnel, and Tha Maharaj shopping centre, reported The Nation.

With plans to extend the project’s footprint to public health service centres, district offices, and more public parks, Governor Chadchart has called upon the private sector and philanthropic organisations to join forces in this noble cause.

“If everybody collaborates, we will be able to achieve the installation target in the blink of an eye.”

ORIGINAL STORY: Bangkok free water refill plan to reduce plastic use

Central Pattana, alongside influential partners, spearheads the Bottle Free Seas campaign, urging Bangkokians to swap bottles for reusable options.

With a staggering 70 million plastic bottles drowning Bangkok monthly, the initiative aims to flood the city with free water dispensers, starting with the iconic Central World shopping mall.

The campaign, a collaborative effort between Central Pattana, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the Environmental Justice Foundation, and Brilliant Power Co Ltd, was inaugurated by none other than BMA governor Chadchart Sittipunt himself. In a symbolic gesture, Sittipunt championed the cause by refilling his thermos at the newly installed dispenser in front of Central World.

With plans to sprinkle nine more water dispensers across Bangkok, the BMA and private partners are tackling the ocean of plastic pollution generated by the city’s insatiable thirst for bottled water. An alarming 70 million plastic bottles are discarded monthly, prompting the launch of the Bottle Free Seas programme. The partners are determined to ride the wave towards a sustainable ecosystem, aligning with Thailand’s ambitious net-zero goal by 2050, reported The Nation.

Uthaiwan Anuchitanukul, Assistant Managing Director of Central Pattana, expressed the company’s commitment to nipping single-use plastic in the bud.

“Central Pattana wants to make a splash in reducing plastic waste, and that’s why we’ve enthusiastically joined the campaign, installing a water dispenser right at the heart of Central World. Tourists and locals alike are encouraged to ride the green wave by refilling their bottles at our dispenser.”