Municipal schools in this Polish town embark on a plastic reduction journey

Ciechanów creates conditions that foster sustainable behaviour among the youngest

Limiting the use of plastic is a behaviour that can be learned and it makes perfect sense to start encouraging it from an early age. That is why the polish town of Ciechanów decided to create the necessary conditions for the imbibing of a more sustainable attitude towards plastic in all municipal schools for the start of the new year. Their solution: install special devices to make clean tap water easily available and provide every child with a personal reusable bottle.

Creating conditions for sustainable behaviour

Ciechanów, in north-central Poland, is implementing various activities aimed at reducing plastic consumption and encouraging residents to drink tap water as part of the "Ciechanowska Kranówka" initiative (the name refers to the local tap water). One of them, in particular, is oriented towards children from all six primary schools in the town, where tap water distribution devices were installed.

The quality of water was tested by the respective health and safety department. What is more, the devices are equipped with counters for unused plastic bottles, which certainly makes their effect on plastic reduction more visible.

Furthermore, to make the use of tap water even easier, the town offered free reusable water bottles to nearly 4000 students. The bottles are made of stainless steel, have a handy shape and are adapted for children.

Making tap water attractive

In fact, sustainable actions in the town of 44 000 inhabitants have started well before the summer holidays when disposable water bottles and plastic cups were removed at the Town Hall. Over the course of the summer, mobile tap water dispensers hav iene benstalled in various parts of the town.

In this context, the authorities claim to have one of the best water disinfection systems in Poland. Both local water treatment stations are equipped with modern UV lamps for water disinfection which allows maintaining microbiological purity without the need to add chemicals.

The town's water is extracted from deep wells and is only treated naturally to precipitate iron and manganese in the gravel filters. The local tap water has minerals, including elements such as calcium and magnesium. It does not contain pathogenic bacteria, so it does not have to be boiled before consumption and can be drunk straight from the tap, explained from the municipality.

Finally, reducing the consumption of bottled water has financial advantages as tap water is cheaper. For the price of about two litres of bottled water in the store one can consume about 1000 litres from the water supply network.