At Lufka Refillable Zero Waste Store in Tampa, customers refill bottles of everyday products like soap, shampoo and cleaning supplies instead of buying new. Large beauty retailers such as Ulta Beauty and Sephora address packaging waste differently, partnering with Pact Collective to collect hard-to-recycle beauty packaging.
EU says US must honor a trade deal after court blocks Trump tariffsNew law puts Kansas at vanguard of denying trans identities on drivers licenses, birth certificatesJack Hughes lost teeth from a high-stick to the mouth before his Olympic gold-winning goalAP Entertainment WireSupreme Court decision against Trump's tariffs raises uncertainty, but markets stay calm6 planets will parade across the night sky at the end of FebruaryViral '6-7' tops 2025 list of overused words and phrasesCalifornia homeowner rolls out 'unwelcome' mat for black bear living under his houseColorectal cancer is rising in younger adults.
Here's who is most at risk and symptoms to watch forTrump administration to stand by tough Biden-era mandates to replace lead pipesWhat is ALS, the disease that killed actor Eric Dane?Mississippi hospital system closes all clinics after ransomware attackSocial media companies face legal reckoning over mental health harms to childrenBuddhist monks rally in Sri Lanka to pressure the government for a wider role in affairs of stateGobiernos y empresas en vilo tras el fallo de la Corte Suprema de EEUU sobre aranceles de TrumpMexican army kills leader of powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel during operation to capture himNew law puts Kansas at vanguard of denying trans identities on drivers licenses, birth certificatesJack Hughes lost teeth from a high-stick to the mouth before his Olympic gold-winning goalAP Entertainment WireSupreme Court decision against Trump's tariffs raises uncertainty, but markets stay calm6 planets will parade across the night sky at the end of FebruaryViral '6-7' tops 2025 list of overused words and phrasesCalifornia homeowner rolls out 'unwelcome' mat for black bear living under his houseColorectal cancer is rising in younger adults. Here's who is most at risk and symptoms to watch forTrump administration to stand by tough Biden-era mandates to replace lead pipesWhat is ALS, the disease that killed actor Eric Dane?Mississippi hospital system closes all clinics after ransomware attackSocial media companies face legal reckoning over mental health harms to childrenBuddhist monks rally in Sri Lanka to pressure the government for a wider role in affairs of stateGobiernos y empresas en vilo tras el fallo de la Corte Suprema de EEUU sobre aranceles de TrumpClimateRefilling a bottle instead of throwing it away has become a way for people to think about reducing waste. But whether refilling actually makes a difference depends on how these systems are used and what they replace. Aaralyn Holt refills bottles at Lufka Refillable Zero Waste store Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. Refillable bottles at Lufka Refillable Zero Waste store sit on a shelf on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. Aaralyn Holt refills laundry detergent containers at Lufka Refillable Zero Waste store Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. Aaralyn Holt refills essential oil bottles at Lufka Refillable Zero Waste store Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. Refilling a bottle instead of throwing it away has become a way for people to think about reducing waste. But whether refilling actually makes a difference depends on how these systems are used and what they replace. Aaralyn Holt refills bottles at Lufka Refillable Zero Waste store Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. Aaralyn Holt refills bottles at Lufka Refillable Zero Waste store Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. Refillable bottles at Lufka Refillable Zero Waste store sit on a shelf on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. Refillable bottles at Lufka Refillable Zero Waste store sit on a shelf on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. Aaralyn Holt refills laundry detergent containers at Lufka Refillable Zero Waste store Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. Aaralyn Holt refills laundry detergent containers at Lufka Refillable Zero Waste store Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. Aaralyn Holt refills essential oil bottles at Lufka Refillable Zero Waste store Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. Aaralyn Holt refills essential oil bottles at Lufka Refillable Zero Waste store Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. But whether refilling actually makes a difference depends on how these systems are used and what they replace. Scores of refill stores have opened in recent years as retailers and customers seek fresh ways to reduce waste. Some brands are also using specialized At Lufka Refillable Zero Waste store in Tampa, customers bring in reusable containers to fill with soap, shampoo and cleaning supplies instead of buying products in single-use packaging. The idea is to cut down on packaging waste by reusing what people already own. Customers’ containers are weighed first, then filled. They’re charged by the amount of product added. Over time, that reuse can add up. For customer Julie Hughes, the act of refilling feels rewarding. Hughes discovered Lufka two years ago while looking for skincare products and has returned regularly, drawn by the ability to reuse packaging rather than discard it. “When you do something positive, you get a little bit of like a dopamine hit and you feel good,” Hughes said on a recent trip to buy liquid hand soap. “There are so many big problems in the world, but we can’t solve all of the big problems, but we do have control over our choices.” Some shoppers have been refilling the same containers for six years, said Lufka founder Kelly Hawaii. “Just imagine how much waste they’ve personally stopped consuming because they have that one container for that one product,” Hawaii said.Refillable packaging is less a new invention than a return to earlier distribution models. Many industries historically relied on refillable or returnable containers, with familiar examples in the U.S. including soda, beer and dairy in the recent past. A 2020 study of reusable packaging explains that a shift to single-use packaging took hold mainly because disposable systems simplified logistics and reduced handling costs for producers and retailers. That transition contributed to a steady increase in packaging production and waste over time as reuse infrastructure declined, according toIn recent years, there has been a renewed interest in reuse as part of a broader move toward a “circular economy” that keeps products and materials in use longer to limit waste.estimates there are hundreds of refillable stores around the country, part of what it calls a “generation of new businesses” aimed at reducing packaging waste. Larger chains and brands are also offering refillable options and other innovations. Lush Cosmetics sells certain products “naked,” without packaging, and offers discounts to customers who return containers from its other products. The reusable packaging platform Loop, available in France, partners with major brands such as Nestle and Coca-Cola to distribute products in durable containers that are collected, cleaned and refilled for reuse. Despite this resurgence, refillable packaging makes up a small share of the overall market. The systems face barriers to expansion, including hygiene requirements and the need for systems to collect and process containers, according to the study, which also noted that these additional processing and cleaning costs may make them more expensive.Reusing vessels for everyday products has advantages over recycling single-use packages, as long as people follow a thoughtful approach, according to experts.Still, reuse doesn’t automatically mean lower environmental impact. Durable reusable containers typically require more energy and materials to produce, so they need to be used long enough to offset the resources that go into them, Miller said. What this means is that the environmental advantage emerges only after repeated use spreads those initial impacts across many uses, which Miller refers to as a “payback period.” How much water and electricity consumers use at home to clean reusable products also factors in.by Miller and a colleague examined reusable products including drinking straws, forks and coffee cups and measured their payback periods in separate categories including greenhouse gas emissions, water use and energy demand. The study found that a ceramic coffee mug must be reused between 4 and 32 times before outperforming disposable cups on those measures, which represented faster paybacks than reusable coffee cups made from metal or plastic. Convenience also plays a role. If refilling requires a special trip, the added transportation emissions can cancel out the benefits, making refill systems most effective when they fit into existing routines. “If you are making dedicated trips just to reduce packaging, it actually can be worse for the environment than if you use the single-use product,” said Miller.Large beauty retailers such as Ulta Beauty and Sephora are also partnering with Pact Collective, a nonprofit that collects hard-to-recycle beauty packaging through in-store bins. Carly Snider, executive director of Pact Collective, said the program collects packaging made of mixed materials that regular recycling programs can’t process or small pieces measuring less than 2 inches — like pumps, droppers and sample-sized containers — that fall through the cracks of machines at recycling facilities.Pact routes those materials through specialized processing, diverting large volumes of material from landfills, said Snider. Experts emphasize that refilling and recycling programs aren’t a perfect solution, but when they replace single-use packaging and fit into everyday life, they can help reduce waste. “Small things do add up,” Miller said. “And so when you have millions of people who are all doing small things, that really can make a difference, make a change.”The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s
Consumer Products And Services Retail And Wholesale Climate Choices Julie Hughes The Coca-Cola Co. Tampa Carly Snider Business Ulta Beauty Inc. Climate And Environment Kelly Hawaii Nestl SA Climate
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Bitcoin to zero? Google searches for the term hit record in U.S. as BTC price dropsGoogle Trends data shows the term hit a record high in the U.S. this month, though global interest has fallen since peaking in August.
Read more »
Bitcoin miner Bitdeer dumps entire BTC reserves, holdings drop to zeroThe most recent news about crypto industry at Cointelegraph. Latest news about bitcoin, ethereum, blockchain, mining, cryptocurrency prices and more
Read more »
10/10 Sci-Fi Shows Are Rare, But Netflix's 4-Part Series Has Zero Bad EpisodesStaff Writer at Screen Rant by day, horror enthusiast by night.
Read more »
Saylor: Bitcoin Going to $0 or $1 MillionStrategy founder Michael Saylor has predicted that Bitcoin could surge to $1 million (unless it is crashes to zero).
Read more »
With Americans 'zebra striping' instead of quitting drinking, Michelob Ultra Zero is cashing inFox News Channel offers its audiences in-depth news reporting, along with opinion and analysis encompassing the principles of free people, free markets and diversity of thought, as an alternative to the left-of-center offerings of the news marketplace.
Read more »
Kid Rock, RFK Jr. zero in on ultra-processed ‘poison,’ call on Americans to put 'politics aside’ for healthFox News Channel offers its audiences in-depth news reporting, along with opinion and analysis encompassing the principles of free people, free markets and diversity of thought, as an alternative to the left-of-center offerings of the news marketplace.
Read more »