Refillable bottles, deposits and recycling

Drinking water is life's most basic need, but the environmental impact of the packaging that carries it matters just as much. On an island like North Cyprus, waste management and efficient use of resources affect all of us directly. In this article we explain how the refillable bottle system works, why there is a deposit and what you can do at home or in the office to cut packaging waste.

How does a refillable bottle work?

The 19-litre polycarbonate (PC) bottles are not single-use. Thanks to their durability they can be refilled many times. The cycle works roughly like this:

1. Delivery: A full bottle arrives at your door.
2. Return: The empty bottle is collected at your next delivery.
3. Inspection: At the plant, every bottle is visually checked; cracked, deformed or damaged bottles are removed.
4. Washing and disinfection: Accepted bottles go through a multi-stage washing and disinfection line.
5. Filling and capping: The cleaned bottle is filled in a closed system and sealed with a tamper-evident cap.
6. End of life: Bottles that reach the end of their service life are separated and sent for recycling.

You are the most important link in this cycle: returning the empty bottle clean and with its cap keeps the system running smoothly.

Why is there a deposit?

The deposit reflects the fact that the bottle is a container entrusted to you. The deposit taken on your first purchase is refunded when the bottle is returned, or, on later orders, you pay no new deposit when you hand over an empty bottle. This system:

• Encourages bottles to come back,
• Reduces the number of lost and damaged bottles,
• Lowers the need to produce new packaging.

For deposit amounts and return conditions, please refer to the information shown when you place your order.

Storing empty bottles at home

Keep the cap on, store the bottle somewhere dry and out of the sun, never put oil, detergent, fuel or any other liquid in it, and avoid writing on it or sticking tape to it. If you have several empties, just mention it in your order note and our team will collect them all at once.

PET bottles and recycling

Small PET bottles are practical to carry, but they are single-use. When sorted correctly, PET is a recyclable material. To do your part:

• Empty the bottle completely and, if possible, crush it to reduce its volume.
• Separate the cap and label according to your local municipality's sorting rules.
• Put packaging waste in recycling bins.
• Never leave bottles on beaches, picnic sites or in nature.

Ways to reduce packaging waste

| Need | More sustainable option | |---|---| | Daily drinking water at home | 19 L refillable bottle | | Water in the office | Bottle-fed dispenser or mains-connected filtered dispenser | | Restaurant and hotel tables | Reusable glass bottles | | On the go and for sport | Refillable flask | | Meetings and events | Large bottles plus cups |

Efficiency in logistics

Sustainability is not only about packaging. Planning routes by area, sending vehicles out full and keeping regular delivery days all increase the amount of water carried per kilometre. That is why a scheduled delivery subscription is both convenient for you and more efficient for the environment: deliveries to several addresses can be planned on the same day and the same route.

Less waste, together

Every returned bottle and every correctly sorted PET bottle is a small but real step. At Girne Su, we see collecting empty bottles as a natural part of our delivery process. You can find solutions that reduce packaging waste for your office or business on our business solutions page.