We are delighted to announce we have no more plastic bottles in our vending machines. KTC (Kerry Tea & Coffee) Vending Supplies have joined the Aqua Dome on its environmental journey and have changed over from plastic bottles to canned natural spring water & soft drinks in an effort to reduce plastic bottle pollution! KTC Supplies also have bio-degradable straws available at the vending machines.
Another positive environmental improvement KTC Supplies has made is to provide compostable disposable cups and lids for use with the hot drinks vending machine.
Plastic is one of the most versatile materials ever invented but it’s become so cheap we don’t think twice about throwing it away. According to research in the university of California we have made over 8 billion tons of plastic and we have thrown over three-quarters of it way! This plastic ends up in our seas, rivers, estuaries, landfills and incinerated into our air and only 9 % is recycled. Unlike with organic waste most bacteria simply won’t touch plastic so it doesn’t matter how long we leave it, it will never biodegrade! Plastic pollution adversely affects oceans, coastlines, wildlife, wildlife habitat, eco-systems, environment and humans.
The following images are of CanO Water available in our vending machines. CanO Water was created in response to the damaging impact that plastic bottles have on the environment, after a trip to a remote island opened the eyes of three close friends. With approximately 8 million tonnes of plastic ending up in the ocean each year, CanO Water is an infinitely recyclable alternative to plastic bottles. Recycle your can and it will be back on the shelf in as little as 6 weeks.
Plastic Bottles vs Aluminium Cans
- Both plastic bottles and aluminum cans can be recycled, however, only 10 percent of bottles are recycled when compared to 50 percent of cans. Cans also are more efficient to recycle than bottles. Once the aluminum has been produced, it can be recycled over and over again.
- Most plastic bottles used for soft drinks and water are made from polyethylene terephthalate (Pet) which is highly recyclable but as their use soars across the globe, efforts to collect and recycle the bottles to keep them from polluting the oceans, are failing to keep up!
Facts about plastic pollution:
- It takes 450 years for a plastic bottle to break down.
- Each year 8 million tons of plastic ends up in the oceans.
- We buy 1 million disposable plastic bottles a minute.
- We make 150 million tons of single use plastic a year.
- We use plastic bags for an average for just 15 minutes before throwing them away.
Management and staff at the Aqua Dome would like to thank KTC Vending Supplies for joining us on our environmental journey as we strive to make positive environmental changes and make Tralee a cleaner, greener and more environmentally sustainable town.
Thanks also to John Drummey one of our members who stood in for the home photo…he was just leaving the gym and happened to be drinking one of the cans of spring water…great to see!
We must all try and do our bit to help the planet and minimise plastic consumption…every little bit helps!
Remember to love the planet, be kind to the planet and love the environment 
!
#lovetheplanet #lovetheenvironment 💚💙