The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced a further £6m injection of funding for protecting the environment and improving green space in the capital – it will deliver the further roll-out of new public water fountains, on top of the initial 20 the Mayor announced recently.
The fund will also create better local green spaces including in areas with little access to parks and community spaces.
The Mayor is working with Thames Water and City to Sea to introduce a Refill scheme so that Londoners can reuse their bottles and cups to top up free tap water from local shops and businesses. He has also announced plans for the installation of 20 new public water fountains in busy areas.
The Mayor’s office has already allocated £750,000 in a draft budget over the next three years to cut plastic waste, including helping launch a pilot Refill scheme with retailers in five districts and installing 20 new fountains.
“This increased funding is matched by ambitious plans which aim to help the public easily cut their use of plastic by offering water refills, delivering more public drinking fountains and simple recycling schemes that will help cut the purchase of single-use plastic bottles.”
The Mayor is working with the #OneLess campaign, led by the Zoological Society of London to find suitable fountain sites and the first ones will be installed this summer.
The Mayor has committed to working with manufacturers and supply chains to trial coffee cup collection schemes where businesses and retailers provide easily accessible recycling facilities for the separate collection of coffee cups.
He is also considering the potential for a plastic bottle deposit return scheme that gives Londoners money back for recycling bottles.
This work is part of the Mayor’s ambition for London to send no biodegradable or recyclable waste to landfill by 2026.
The funding will also help support the Mayor’s ambition to make London the world’s first National Park City by engaging Londoners to help create and improve green spaces and plant more trees, helping make London a healthier and greener city.
It will also help pay for local measures to tackle toxic air pollution including schemes in and around schools and in partnership with local businesses, and installing green infrastructure that benefits air quality and reduces exposure.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “I’m committed to helping Londoners reduce plastic bottle use and help cut the amount of plastic ending up in our oceans and in landfill.
“This increased funding is matched by ambitious plans which aim to help the public easily cut their use of plastic by offering water refills, delivering more public drinking fountains and simple recycling schemes that will help cut the purchase of single-use plastic bottles.
“This extra funding will also help us race towards my goal of London becoming the first National Park City, by funding more tree planting and green spaces, especially in areas so that everyone in London can benefit from an easily accessible park, play space, or community garden.”
