9 September 2021
Tap water is a good and sustainable alternative to bottled water. It helps reduce plastic waste, CO2 emissions and the number of vehicles on the road. The UvA has been able to make the decision to stop selling non-carbonated bottled water because of the very high quality of tap water in the Netherlands. It is increasing the number of free tap water points available because it recognises the importance of drinking plenty of water. You will find a number of these tap water points at every UvA campus.
As of 1 July 2021, the price of all drinks in PET bottles will include a 15-cent returnable deposit. Empty PET bottles can be placed in designated donation bins in and around campus restaurants at various UvA locations. The returnable deposits on these bottles will be donated to Trees for All and the Plastic Soup Foundation. If you do not wish to donate returnable deposits to charity, simply return your empty PET bottles at a supermarket.
The measures outlined above will help make the UvA more sustainable. If you would like to know what else the UvA is doing to improve sustainability, see www.uva.nl/sustainability.