NI Water is giving the assist to tackle the issue of single use plastic bottles littering football pitches across Northern Ireland.

Discarded single use plastic bottles are a common sight on football pitches – often ending up in drains and nearby waterways and contributing to wider environmental pollution.

Now NI Water is supporting the Irish Football Association’s (IFA) Goals for Climate programme, which aims to tackle climate change through a network of football clubs becoming more sustainable and spearheading initiatives in communities across Northern Ireland.

By signing up to NI Water’s Refillution campaign, sports clubs pledge to move away from single use plastic bottles and promote refilling from the tap as the default option for hydration at football grounds.

NI Water education and outreach officer Pat McCauley said: “NI Water’s Refillution campaign promotes the simple message: refill from the tap and carry a reusable bottle. Now in its seventh year, the campaign has distributed more than 60,000 reusable bottles to schools, sports clubs, councils and community groups across Northern Ireland, helping to drive lasting behaviour change.”

The initiative that also involves Groundwork NI now supports football clubs at all levels to reduce plastic pollution by encouraging players, parents, coaches and supporters to switch to reusable bottles.

Pat added: “With football clubs embedded at the heart of towns, villages and neighbourhoods, this initiative provides a powerful platform to champion positive environmental wins both on and off the pitch.”

 

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Media enquiries to the NI Water Press Office via email to press.office@niwater.com