Polish cities push tap water and reusable bags in July plastic‑free drive

In Szczecin, officials warned that if half of the 384,000 residents each bought one single‑use PET bottle daily, about 4 tonnes of plastic would enter the waste stream every day. The city’s water utility stresses that tap water, drawn mainly from Lake Miedwie and treated through multiple stages, is safe to drink. Free public drinking fountains and a call to use reusable bottles aim to cut plastic waste and household costs during the global “July without plastic” campaign.

In Gdańsk, the “July without plastic” initiative similarly urges residents to drink tap water, use refillable bottles and avoid single‑use plastic bags. The municipal water system supplies water from eleven sources, with regular laboratory monitoring to ensure quality. Organisers highlight that a typical plastic bag lasts up to 400 years in the environment, and promote cloth or linen bags, reusable produce bags and proper recycling of used plastics.