Refill Your Cup, Not the Landfill: Join Surfrider in World Refill Day

Every year, billions of plastic disposable cups, utensils, and food containers are used for a few moments before becoming waste. Much of this plastic waste ends up in our communities and landfills, on our beaches, and in our waterways. In 2025 alone, over 685,000 pieces of plastic were picked up by Surfrider volunteers at beach cleanups across the country.

World Refill Day, celebrated on June 16, is a global movement aimed at preventing plastic pollution and inspiring a reuse revolution. Reusables beat single-use alternatives in almost every environmental metric, including climate, water, waste, and pollution. Plus, reusables like metal or glass are better for human health as plastic contains more than 16,000 chemicals.

This World Refill Day and every day, Surfrider is working to make reuse mainstream through advocacy, policy change, and our Ocean Friendly Business Programs.

How Ocean Friendly Businesses Are Leading the Way

Reuse is always on the menu at our Ocean Friendly Restaurants and Hotels. To become Ocean Friendly, restaurants must serve reusables for onsite dining, hotels must use large, refillable toiletries instead of miniature plastic ones, and provide water refill stations for guests rather than bottled water. We also suggest that restaurants offer a discount to customers bringing reusable containers.

Reuse isn’t just good for the planet — it’s good for business. Across the country, Ocean Friendly Businesses are cutting waste, cutting cost, and creating a better experience for customers by investing in reusables. Here are some real-world examples:

• JT’s Genuine Sandwich Shop in Chicago, IL cut disposable foodware by 50% and saves about $25,500 a year by switching from disposables to reusables for onsite dining.
• Lido House in Newport Beach, CA saves $84,000 a year and 180,000 plastic water bottles from entering the waste stream every year by switching to refillable glass water bottles.
• Magnus On Water in Biddeford, ME saves about $138 and 22,000 disposable straws every year by providing reusable straws upon request or in a few specialty drinks.

Surfrider and partners advocating for the "Skip the Stuff" policy in New Jersey

Building a Refillable Future Through Policy

Building a refillable future requires policies that make reuse easy and accessible. That’s why Surfrider advocates for policies that remove barriers to reuse and create incentives for refillable systems. Here are some recent Surfrider victories that do just that:

• In New Jersey, Surfrider chapters helped pass a Skip the Stuff policy that requires restaurants with 10 or more seats to serve reusables for onsite dining and accessories only upon request by the customer.
• In Oregon, Surfrider’s network strengthened the existing statewide plastic bag ban, eliminating all exemptions for thick plastic bags marketed as “reusable.” Now, grocery stores can only offer truly reusable bags or bags made from paper.
• In Coronado, CA, Surfrider helped pass one of the strongest plastic reduction policies in San Diego County. This ordinance requires restaurants to accept clean reusable cups for beverages, restricts single-use plastic foodware, polystyrene foam, bags, balloons, and even water bottles in certain instances.
• In Washington, Surfrider worked for years to pass an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) bill that would incentivize design changes to reduce unnecessary packaging and opt for more reusable materials.

Setting a Global Reuse Standard

For reuse systems to scale across the world, business and consumers need standards that ensure consistency, convenience, and safety. PR3, The Global Alliance to Advance Reuse, is developing the first set of global standards for reuse. Surfrider sits on their multi-sectoral voting panel to maintain and revise these standards. PR3 just launched a new reuse symbol intended to clearly identify reusable products, packaging, and the infrastructure that helps circulate them.

Simple Ways to Join the Refill Revolution

Every refill has the power to move us closer to the refill revolution. Here’s how you can celebrate World Refill Day:

• Get involved with your local Surfrider Chapter or Club to pass policies that promote reuse
• Dine at an Ocean Friendly Restaurant or stay at an Ocean Friendly Hotel near you
• Bring a reusable water bottle to refill. Hydro Flask and Yeti are Surfrider Corporate Partners and great options!
• Bring your own travel mug to your favorite coffee shop. Check out Surfrider’s shop if you’re in the market for one.
• Remember your reusable grocery bags
• Clean out old pickle or jelly jars and use them to store leftovers or as cups for beverages
• Use refillable ziploc bags rather than disposable ones, like Stasher, a Surfrider Corporate Partner!
• Support your local refillery or bulk store. Here we've highlighted refilleries that carry Dip's Surfrider Shampoo & Conditioner Bars in support of the Surfrider Foundation.