Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/1497690
10 SATURDAY, APRIL 22, 2023 EARTH DAY 2023 On the road to reducing waste BY WENDY KING B ulk refill stores can show you the way. And the folks who run them are keen to share ideas, offer advice and explain just how it all works. Here's a little primer to get you rolling. What is a bulk refill store? "A bulk refill store is a place where you can bring your own containers that are clean and dry to refill with your personal care and house- hold cleaning products," says Julia MacCharles, owner at Milieu Market in Steinbach (milieu- market.ca). "You can bring any clean container, plastic, glass or aluminum." MacCharles says they also provide clean con- tainers donated from the community, as well as selling some new reusable containers. It's a similar set-up at Planet Pantry at The Forks, which includes BYOC, donated, for de- posit and for purchase options. "If you don't have your own container, you're never in too much of a pinch. We have options," says Sam Soloway, CEO and co-founder at Planet Pantry (planetpantry.ca). What's the procedure for filling containers? "Customers weigh their containers and then they're welcome to fill it with as much product as they like, and we will do the rest," Soloway says. "They don't need to re-weigh it. We will do the math for them." You can always ask for assistance with filling, especially if you are buying larger amounts, like laundry soap, for example. What will I find at a bulk refill store? You can get every kind of personal care item from dental products to body and hair care. "We also have deodorant, a chest rub simi- lar to Vicks, muscle rubs, sunscreen and bug sprays," MacCharles says. You'll also find what you need to clean house. "We have raw ingredients so people can make their own cleansers using citric acid, baking soda, borax, bleaching agent, vinegar and cas- tile soaps, and pre-mixed supplies," MacCharles says. Planet Pantry has all your basics for personal and household care. "We carry all the everyday essentials, from detergents and cleaners to bath and body care to hair care, skin care, oral care. We have essential oils in bulk and a lot more," Soloway says. "We have other essential items, and what we carry is made to go safely back into the earth or to be reused over and over again instead of just single-use items." What are the benefits of shopping at a bulk refill store? "Your experience is completely catered to you. Buying in bulk allows you to buy a small amount of a product before committing to it, or you can stock up if you want to make fewer trips which can help fit any budget," Soloway says. "All of the products we carry are natural and biodegradable and are safe to go back into water- ways or back into the planet. There are no harm- ful chemicals or toxins that would be bad for the planet or its creatures." Both Milieu Market and Planet Pantry care- fully source their inventory. A bulk refill store is a place where you can bring your own containers that are clean and dry to refill with your personal care and household cleaning products." — Julia MacCharles, owner at Milieu Market in Steinbach Milieu Market. Photo submitted by Milieu Market Milieu Market mobile refillery. Photo by Julia MacCharles Are you looking to get your household on the road to zero waste? CONTINUED ON PAGE 11