Fill her up

Re-fills for cleaning products are now available after pressure from Journallive readers.

For a while now I have been receiving emails from Journallive readers asking if I know of anywhere that they can re-fill their washing-up bottles.

A shop near my mother does just this and they re-fill not only washing-up liquid bottles but other detergents too.

I get through a litre of washing-up liquid every month, that’s twelve plastic bottles into the recycling bin a year, and although they’re recycled, it would be better not to generate the waste in the first place.

After the tenth email and with the thought that this was a great idea, I went to see ‘Out of this World’ in Gosforth, which was how I found out that they had sadly closed their doors forever.

I am very fortunate in that I have the Honey Tree in Heaton close by and although it is a small shop, I thought it worth asking the lovely owners if they would consider doing it.

They were not too sure about it and thought it unlikely that they would have the room to offer a re-fill facility. However, after feeding this back to readers that had emailed me, it seems that the Honey Tree was inundated with requests and changed their mind.

They are now offering a re-fill service using Ecover products on Washing-up Liquid, Laundry Liquid, Fabric Softener, Multi-surface Cleaner and will also soon be offering Toilet Cleaner.
The best bit is that you don’t even have to use Ecover bottles to get a re-fill, as long as there is a measurement on your bottle.
Rob, one of the partners of the Honey Tree, informed me that a Farm Shop in Lancashire told him that they now sell more detergents through re-fill than in bottles.

Not only are re-fills cheaper for the consumer but they have the added bonus of using less packaging and petrol to get here in the first place.
If anyone else knows of other outlets in the North East offering this service please let me know and I’ll pass on the news. (See update at bottom of blog)Prices are as follows (with prices for brand new bottles to compare):

Lemon Washing Up Liquid 1 Litre: £1.65 (Brand new bottle £1.95)

Laundry Liquid 1.5 Litre: £4.92 (Brand new bottle £5.49)

Fabric Softener 1 Litre: £1.97 (Brand new bottle £2.49)

Multi-Surface Cleaner 1 Litre: £1.92 (Brand new bottle £2.29)

Thanks to Moise Coulson - who emailed to say that the organic shop in Whitley Bay, Peppercorn also does re-fills. They can be found at: 155-157, Park View, Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear NE26 3RF
Tel: 0191 2516071

Thanks to Nick Boldrini who emailed with this information:
Hi Anna
Netty (my wife's) little shop in the Buddhist Centre is also offering a refill service. At the moment they can refill Ecover washing up liquid though they are planning to do the laundry liquid too.

Costs £1.39 per litre

Compassion Meditation Centre
34 Station Road
South Gosforth
NE3 1QD

Telephone 0191 2843501
www.meditation-newcastle.org

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