Sadiq Khan plans London drinking fountain network in bid to cut plastic waste

Sadiq Khan wants to introduce a new network of water fountains across the capital to help reduce the use of plastic water bottles.

In his draft environment strategy, the London mayor has also launched a bid to encourage businesses to make their tap water publically available.

One million plastic bottles are bought worldwide every minute, according to official figures. And the annual consumption is expected to surpass half a trillion by 2021.

More than half of plastic bottles bought last year were not collected or recycled, data showed, contributing to the huge portion of single-use bottles that end up in landfill or in the ocean.
The mayor appears to have joined a developing movement to challenge the use of plastic, with many corporate brands pledging to stop using the material.

It comes as environment secretary Michael Gove said that a better access to drinking water is being considered as part of the government’s bid to cut plastic waste.

According to Mr Gove, the amount of single-use plastic wasted in the UK is enough to fill the Royal Albert Hall 1,000 times over.