CORNWALL, Ontario – The Local Fill passed a major milestone recently. They helped the residents of Cornwall and the surrounding area divert enough waste from local dumps to fill four Ed Lumley Arenas.
The Local Fill, founded in July 2019 by Julie Dennis, refills empty containers for their customers.
Dennis began with refilling personal care and cleaning products including Epsom salts, dish washing liquid and shampoo.
Prior to opening The Local Fill, Dennis worked as an interior decorator and found herself frequently making trips to Ottawa to refill her supplies at a similar sustainability focused store.
“I had had enough of all of the waste that I was generating as a contractor,” explained Dennis.
Dennis explained the importance of sustainability, and how it is immediately important for the City of Cornwall.
The City of Cornwall is running out of space in its landfill. In 2020 a consulting firm gave a report to Cornwall City Council that estimated that the Cornwall landfill had around 12 years of life left in it and that the cost just to close it will be around $36 million.
READ MORE: City facing steep costs for landfill closure
The Local Fill offers their customers a sustainable alternative to single-use plastics.
“To me, single use has zero use and zero purpose,” Dennis said. “We just have to think as a community to be more resourceful and aware as consumers to think about the after life of a product.”
Dennis stated that about a year ago The Local Fill expanded to begin offering refills of spices, and hoped to soon start offering fresh produce.
Dennis said that most of their products are sourced from around Eastern Ontario, and that they do their best to price match where possible.
