Environmental charity and social enterprise City to Sea has announced it will be concluding operations this month after ten years of groundbreaking campaigning to stop plastic pollution at source, while driving the momentum towards reuse and refill.
Despite recent tangible shifts towards reuse systems, the scarcity and competitive nature of grant funding and difficult economic times for corporate partners have driven the charity’s decision to close operations.
City to Sea leaves behind a transformative legacy, having shifted public opinion, secured landmark policy changes, and galvanised industry to implement sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic.
Through award-winning campaigns and collaborative partnerships, City to Sea has proved that systemic change is vital to turn the tide on single-use plastic.
City to Sea's flagship Refill app, launched in 2016, has been downloaded over 750,000 times and lists more than 370,000 Refill Stations worldwide, preventing an estimated 100 million single-use plastic bottles from entering the waste stream annually.
The charity's campaigns delivered milestone policy wins in the UK, including the ban on plastic cotton buds through the #SwitchTheStick campaign backed by over 150,000 people. Similarly, the #CutTheCutlery campaign led to the ban of single-use plastic cutlery and plates, as well as polystyrene takeaway packaging in England.
Additionally, City to Sea successfully demonstrated the viability of scalable reuse solutions through city-wide reuse systems, achieving 97% return rates and saving over 25,000 single-use cups.
As City to Sea closes, it delivers a clear message: the fight to end plastic pollution is far from over. This comes as the INC5.2 plastic treaty negotiations have broken down under pressure from the countries and corporates invested in plastic production. The power dynamics are clear: corporations invested in single-use plastic continue to influence policy at national and international levels, while communities most impacted by pollution are sidelined.
It’s estimated that UK households throw away a staggering 1.7 billion pieces of plastic packaging a week[1], meaning the mountain of toxic waste continues to rise. Evidence shows microplastics are now found in human blood, placentas, and lungs.
Recent polling from City to Sea shows that 72% of UK consumers want to see more reusable, refillable and returnable options where they shop, with 76% willing to use refillable packaging for everyday items. Yet voluntary commitments from business have failed to meet this growing demand and deliver significant impact.
Progressive not-for-profit organisations cannot bear the financial and operational burden of de-risking the transition to reuse for government and business. The closure of organisations like City to Sea signals that visionary solutions risk being lost due to systemic inertia and chronic underinvestment.
Jane Martin, CEO of City to Sea, said: "We're incredibly proud of what we've achieved over the past decade. When we started, refill and reuse were nowhere to be seen in strategic roadmaps and business plans. Since then, we’ve witnessed real shifts with city-wide reuse initiatives across the UK and upcoming EPR and DRS legislations.’
“But despite growing public demand for reuse, the reality is that underfunding, lack of enabling regulation, and a system still optimised for single-use have made our mission as a non-profit increasingly unsustainable.’
“The new reuse economy desperately needs bolder commitments from governments, brands, and retailers. They need to be on the right side of history: It’s time to turn talk into action, with deeper investment, legally binding regulation, and cross-sector collaboration”
City to Sea's legacy is not based just on the billions of single-use plastic items prevented from entering the environment, but a fundamental shift in how consumers, businesses and policymakers think about packaging and waste. The charity built a global network of changemakers committed to stopping waste before it starts.
Natalie Fée, founder of City to Sea, said: "When we started out back in 2015, I couldn’t have imagined the scale of the impact we’d have in the fight against single-use plastic, from our high streets to our supermarkets, from our rivers to our seas. And none of it would have been possible without the support of our team, our board, our donors, our partners and our communities. Thank you for supporting ten years of purposeful action and environmental impact."
City to Sea is working with partners to secure the long-term legacy of its programmes and campaigns. Announcements will be made in the coming weeks. Check websites for details.
[1] https://thebigplasticcount.com/results
[1] https://thebigplasticcount.com/results