Filter For Change: How To Eliminate 10 Million Plastic Bottles

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Eliminating plastic has been the goal of an ever-increasing number of people, and one of the main culprits for plastic waste has been plastic bottles. Every once in a while, one of these people will come up with an innovative idea that boosts the charge towards minimal plastic waste, and recognised for this initiative last year was the company TAPP Water. To find out just why they won the Agent of Change award at the Malta Climate Awards, we had a chat with TAPP’s founder Phil Richards.

Sustainably designed for sustainability

Malta’s numbers for drinking tap water are amongst the lowest across Europe, with a survey showing that that’s mostly because of the taste, even after being declared safe to drink. Of course, that leads to people buying bottled water only, even if tap water only costs €0.02c per litre. This translates to some 1,000 plastic bottles per household, multiplied by over 200,000 households in Malta. That’s a total of around 200 million plastic bottles used in Malta per year. Of those, only 14% are recycled. Pretty numbers, these are not.

And that’s what TAPP Water is here to do, change those numbers for the better, and they’ve already started. “In Malta, our mission is to eliminate 10 million plastic bottles a year by 2026”, Richards explains. “When we won the Agent of Change Award, 1,350 households had installed one of our products, leading to some 700,000 plastic bottles not being used”. It’s a small change that goes such a long way in terms of helping the local and global environment.

TAPP EcoPro home water filter

What is it that sets TAPP Water products apart though, we ask, as there are other tap water filters available on the market? “TAPP Water products are designed to be sustainable, with just a 3kg CO2 footprint per year, which is far lower than more complex or plastic-intensive systems”, Richards tells us. Furthermore, their filters are also very cost-effective, so it’s a win-win for families as they get to help save the planet while also saving money.

Convenience is the next plus point, given that practically anyone can affix and change the filters. Great tasting water flows through immediately with no wastage whatsoever, and given the ease of changing, you can switch between filtered and non-filtered water as you please. To keep the filter fresh and working effectively though, it’s recommended to change it once every three months.

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Your turn to join the mission

The variety of products available on TAPP Water Malta’s website means that no matter whether you’re looking for a water filter for home use or office, you’re bound to find it there. Given the choice available, we had to ask which Richards deemed the most effective, his answer was a testament to the quality of TAPP’s wares. “To be honest, they’re all effective!” he says with a smile. “The filter process has been independently tested in Malta on the public supply of water and is certified to take care of over 100 contaminants that might be present in our water”.

And for office use, he recommends the TAPP EcoPro which can handle offices of up to 20 people. “Even if you change the filter once a month instead of every three, the cost is far lower than the large plastic containers that are being delivered now, and are far more efficient too.”

Therefore, everyone can play their part in the drive for less plastic use, particularly single-use. It’s not even an inconvenience to do so, because not only are these devices easy to install, but they’re cost-effective in the long run and alleviate the burden we’ve placed upon the environment with minimal effort from our end. On that note, Richards’ closing note is a direct appeal to you, the reader.

“TAPP Water in Malta is on a mission to help households eliminate plastic bottles used for drinking water. Plastic bottles are expensive, inconvenient and single-use plastic is a major cause of climate change. This simple, affordable but independently tested device gives you great tasting drinking water instantly at home. Over 1,700 households are now using TAPP to save money and take care of the environment in Malta – I hope you will join them.”

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