'Heston in the Loop' is a circular economy neighbourhood demonstrator, delivered in partnership by ReLondon and the London Borough of Hounslow. The aim is to support the development of a circular economy neighbourhood through the introduction of a range of innovative interventions designed to help the community to waste less, reuse, repair, share and recycle more. Eco Refill is one of these interventions. Facilitated by Pupils Profit, it supports local primary schools to establish and run circular school refill shops selling environmentally-friendly household essentials to their wider school community. Pupils Profit is working with three primary schools in Heston, supplying the products and - critically - the support to set up and run a school business enterprise, operated by a team of children. As well as helping to embed positive environmental behaviours and reduce plastic waste, pupils also learn key life skills linked to the national curriculum.

Goals and Impact:

The school refill shops are catalysts for change, contributing to a normalisation of positive environmental circular behaviour within the school and wider community. The refill shops deliver an impact on carbon reduction through direct waste reduction, as well as increasing awareness of how reuse can reduce waste and save money. The impacts include increased reuse behaviour, reduced plastic consumption, adoption of circular businesses models, and positive environmental behavioural change for current and future generations.