Our curiosity piqued the moment we heard refill station. Jessica here to inspire you with some eco-friendly ideas. It all started with the trending plastic straw ban + the zero-waste movement, inviting in the concept of eliminating plastic by reusing containers for refilling household goods, bath + body products, soaps, detergents, lotions, and so on.

One of these popped up as close as St. Pete, simply called The Refillery. Here’s how it works.

What products are available for refill?

Anything and everything from sunscreen, dishwasher powder, and shower gel to hand sanitizer, skin cream, and dog shampoo.

What is the cost?

Prices vary per product. Most refillable items range from 0.10/oz to $4/oz depending on what the product is.

Where do I get containers?

Bring your own or buy Instagram-worthy jars + spray bottles for just a few dollars on site. Anything that holds liquid will work. This includes: Pump dispensers, squeeze bottles, mason jars, swing-top beer bottles, and even growlers.

How does it really work?

Step 1: When you arrive, your containers will be weighed. The Refillery has wet erase markers that you can use to write directly on your containers with the weight of the container before adding ingredients – this is called your Tare Weight.
Step 2: Fill your containers. #ProTip: Brainstorm in advance because once a product has been dispensed, it’s yours.
Step 3: Pay by weighing the contents of your containers (and subtract your tare weight) to determine your balance.

Why is this a good idea?

Besides saving packaging from the landfill, most of the products are eco-friendly, reef-safe, vegan, cruelty-free, kid-safe, and with minimal packaging. You pretty much know what you’re getting with the available ingredient lists and most of all, avoiding the harsh chemicals found in mainstream cleaning products. And as an added bonus, you only buy the amount of product that you need or want.

Poll

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– LALtoday team (Jessica + Kaylee)