BRADFORD Refill campaign which is encouraging local shops and cafes to reduce plastic waste has reached a milestone after a supermarket chain signs up to its scheme.

Morrisons has registered its cafes as Refill Stations meaning anyone with a reusable bottle can fill it for free over the counter in its cafes.

In addition to this, the superstore has pledged that new stores will have water fountains fitted near the entrance to make it as easy as possible for customers to fill up their bottles for free.

Refill is a national scheme that wants to reduce plastic pollution by promoting the use of a reusable water bottle.

Refill Bradford District group has been set up to encourage local businesses - such as bars, cafes and shops to sign up as "Refill stations" so members of the public can quench their first by filling up their water bottle free of charge.

Hawarun Hussain, co-ordinator for the Refill campaign in Bradford District has said:“Plastics are one of the biggest environmental issues of our generation and it’s great to see a national supermarket make a commitment to reducing single-use plastic – even better that it is one based here in Bradford.

“This is just one of the ways that Morrisons is doing its part to reducing our dependence on plastics which are used once and then thrown away.”

The supermarket has made a series of bold commitments to reduce plastic waste including allowing customers buying meat or fish from their Market Street Butcher and Fishmonger counters to take their purchases home in their own packaging, phasing out the use of black plastic trays for fresh meat and fish by the end of 2019.

Earlier this year, Morrisons started trialling vending machines at two of its stores - one of them in Skipton and the other in Glasgow - to allow shoppers to recycle single-use plastic bottles in exchange for points.

Customers can return a maximum of 20 bottles a day and receive 100 Morrisons More points in the form of a coupon for each one brought back which can then be spent in store.

Alternatively, customers can choose to donate the cash alternative -10 pence - to the supermarket’s charity partner, CLIC Sargent.

Andrew Clappen, Morrisons group corporate services director said: “We want to play our part in making sure plastic bottles are collected and recycled. We'll listen to customers as they use these machines.”

On Thursday, October 18, Refill will be co-hosting a screening of “A Plastic Ocean” with Bradford District Green Party. The film documents the way in which plastic waste is causing catastrophic damage to the world’s oceans. Using the latest science they prove how plastics, once they enter the oceans, break up into small particles that enter the food chain.

The screening will start at 7pm at Delius Arts & Culture at 29 Great Horton Road. Tickets cost £5 and are available online through eventbrite.co.uk or on the door.