Bottled-water ban problems

RE: ST. CATHARINES BANS BOTTLED WATER SALES AT CITY FACILITIES, JULY 11

The City of St Catharines, under the leadership of Mayor Sendzik, has banned the sale of water bottles from municipal facilities. For many, this seems like just another nanny state intrusion among a long list of examples of government overreach. For others, like Mayor Sendzik, banning water bottles on city property is a step towards protecting the environment.

However, the truth remains that banning water bottles fails to reduce waste, or plastic use, while encouraging residents to consume other full calorie beverages.

Peer-reviewed research published in the American Journal of Public Health evaluated the issue when the University of Vermont banned the sale of single use water bottles on campus. After the ban was implemented, the total use of plastic bottles on campus increased eight per cent from 24 bottles per student, to 26. These researchers found plastics in the university’s waste steam increased.

Consumers purchased other beverages that are also in plastic bottles. Those other beverage bottles are traditionally made with thicker plastics, which increases total plastic use. The second reason the ban fails is consumers shift purchasing behaviour so they can bring bottled water to places where it is banned. Rather than purchasing water on site, one bottle at a time, consumers purchase by the case.

The second take away from a policy like this are the negative effects. When bottled water wasn’t available at the University of Vermont, students started buying full calorie beverages. The researchers showed that as a result of the ban, soft drink consumption rose 25 per cent.

David Clement

North American Affairs Manager, Consumer Choice Center, Toronto

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