A SENIOR member of the Welsh Government will visit a Denbighshire town to observe a plastic-free scheme in a bid to make Wales the world's first 'Refill Nation'.

Environment minister Hannah Blythin will visit Llangollen to see its progress with the Refill Wales scheme, a nationwide scheme in which businesses are encouraged to offer the public free water refills on their premises.

The scheme, which is backed by the Welsh Government, was set up in Llangollen by Plastic Free Llangollen (PFL) and chaired by Mair Jones as the first in north Wales with the aim of reducing the number of single-use plastic bottle purchases in the town by encouraging residents to use of refillable bottles.

Llangollen is one of only seven Welsh towns or cities signed up to Refill Wales.

Ms Blythin, who will attend Llangollen on Thursday, November 15, said: “Earlier this year I set out my ambition to make Wales the world’s first ‘Refill Nation’. I’m pleased to visit towns like Llangollen to see what the local community is doing to cut down on single-use plastics.

“Refill schemes are a really good way to cut down on single use plastics, so the Welsh Government is investing in rolling out the scheme to communities across Wales. Every time someone refills a bottle rather than throws a plastic one away, we are reducing the amount of plastic that reaches the ocean.

“There are already more than 600 Refill stations in Wales. The scheme is helping tap water be more widely available in public spaces like transport hubs, shopping centres and chains.”

Mair Davies, chair of PFL, said: “The environment minister is coming to Llangollen to promote the tap water refill scheme that has been launched.

"Refill Llangollen has been a very successful scheme within Refill Wales with 14 businesses signed up in Llangollen and there is a campaign to sign up many more businesses across Wales, especially in towns and along walking and cycling routes."

To find out more about Refill Llangollen, visit Plastic Free Llangollen's Facebook page.