Global Campaigns News

US: Environmentalists want to put a lid on bottled water

Press of Atlantic City.com. By Courtney McCann -

The refrigerated case next to the front counter at Galloway Fitness in Galloway Township is filled with the usual assortment of sports drinks, energy supplements and bottled water - lots and lots of bottled water. Gym owner Mark Jernee goes through about 180 bottles each week thanks to thirsty patrons who don't want to be bothered with repeated trips to the water fountain during a workout.

"It's convenient," Jernee said. "Simple."

Simple, yet costly to the consumer and the environment, some say.

According to the International Water Bottle Association, the sale of bottled water in the United States is growing 10 percent each year - a figure that has prompted environmental groups and social rights organizations to mount campaigns to persuade American water buyers that what comes out of the tap is just as good as the bottled stuff.

This fall, the advocacy group Corporate Accountability International launched its "Think Outside the Bottle" campaign in cities across the country, asking mayors to cancel bottled-water contracts and make public pledges to promote the benefits of their cities' tap water. The Sierra Club also recently released a brochure addressing problems with bottled water - including the amount of oil used to make the bottles, the cost of fuel needed to ship the bottles and the resulting litter when people don't recycle the containers.

"You don't need to be buying water," said Jeff Tittel, president of the New Jersey chapter of the Sierra club. "You can get good, clean water from your own tap."

In addition to convenience, the uncertainty as to what actually comes out of the tap fuels the bottled-water market.

Alexa Tomasetti, 17, of Galloway Township only drinks bottled water, both at the lunch table at Absegami High School and at home.

"My mom drinks tap water. She'll put it in her water bottle and go," Tomasetti said. "But I don't trust it. Just because (water) comes from a tap doesn't mean it's safe."

Since Tomasetti won't drink out of the tap, she is responsible for buying bottled water for herself. Tomasetti usually spends between $5 and $6 on cases of water each week at ShopRite.

Ted Lai, 23, of Galloway Township partially blames his fraternity days at West Chester University for his bottled water habit.

"I lived in a frat house," Lai said. "And you wouldn't dare drink the water coming out of that tap."

But not all bottled water comes from cool, clean mountain springs in Vermont. PepsiCo's Aquafina and the Coca-Cola Co.'s Dasani are made with water from public reservoirs.

"People are being conned into thinking bottled water is so much better," Tittel said. "And it's not."

International Water Bottle Association spokesmen declined to characterize the issue as bottled water vs. tap water.

"This is a consumer choice," said Joe Doss, Present and CEO of the International Bottle Water Association. "We have a survey that says that 75 percent of those who drink bottled water are also drinking tap water. We don't see tap water as our competition."

Doss also argued campaigns against bottled water are not in the public interest, because they could cause people to drink fewer healthy beverages.

But bottling companies have caved somewhat in terms of the environmental concerns regarding bottled water. Nestle Waters North America, Inc. - which packages Poland Spring, Ice Mountain and Pure Life water - recently introduced "eco-shaped" bottles that are allegedly better for the environment. The bottle's hourglass shape and thinner plastic are supposed to make the bottles easier to recycle.

"It's more for public relations," Tittel said of the eco-shaped bottles. "Because people are getting concerned. It really isn't fixing the problem."

Tap Supporters

At first glance, Linda Gentille looked like just another bottled water fanatic as she pedaled a stationary bike at Somers Point Fitness, a Poland Spring water bottle by her side. But looks can be deceiving.

"This is water from the well at my house," the 44-year-old Petersburg resident said as she lifted the bottle to her lips and drank. "I always put my own tap water into recycled bottles."

Gentille only purchases bottled water at the airport, and even then she stores the empty containers in her luggage to use at home.

"The bottles are environmental waste," Gentille said. "And I read that a lot of bottled water is tap water anyway."

Getting other water drinkers to share Gentille's views hasn't been an easy task.

"People think it's cool to walk around with a water bottle," Tittel said. "It's like you have to have a cell phone and a water bottle at all times."

Reminding people to recycle has also been a struggle.

"Once a bottle of water is used, most of the time it ends up in the trash, not as recycling material," said Rick Dovey, president of the Atlantic County Utilities Authority. "Then of course, it's being wasted."

Local business owners are trying their best. At Galloway Fitness, Jernee puts out two separate recycling containers for cans and bottles and encourages gym members to recycle.

Some states, including New York and Massachusetts, have instituted a "bottle bill" where shoppers pay a deposit when they purchase a bottled beverage. The deposit is returned to the buyer once they recycle the bottle. New Jersey has rejected a bottle bill in the past, but state assemblywoman Valerie Huttle of Bergen County recently introduced a new bill that would add a 10-cent deposit fee to most beverage containers.

"We'll be working to try and pass it in the next two years," Tittel said. "It's one of the steps we need to take."

MCT Wire Services contributed to this report

To e-mail Courtney McCann at The Press:

CMcCann@pressofac.com