Bottled Water and The Environment What we’re going to talk about today: Become an informed consumer: 1. Composition of bottled water 2. Environmental impacts.

Bottled Water and The EnvironmentBottled Water and The Environment

What weWhat we’’re going to talk about today:re going to talk about today:

Become an informed consumer:Become an informed consumer:1. Composition of bottled water1. Composition of bottled water

2. Environmental impacts2. Environmental impacts3. Social implications3. Social implications

Why do people drink Why do people drink bottled water?bottled water?

http://promotehealth.info

http://blogs.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/bottledwater.JPG

Bottled water benefitsBottled water benefits

Easy delivery of potable water:Easy delivery of potable water:

Disaster reliefDisaster relief Contaminated public/private water supplyContaminated public/private water supply No access to any other supplyNo access to any other supply Healthier than soda!Healthier than soda!

How did we get here???How did we get here??? Bottled water has been Bottled water has been

popular in Europe for popular in Europe for many decades due to many decades due to poor quality tap water poor quality tap water and fondness for and fondness for sparkling watersparkling water

Bottled water got a Bottled water got a huge break in 1993 huge break in 1993 with the Milwaukee with the Milwaukee cryptosporidium cryptosporidium outbreakoutbreak

1. Composition & 1. Composition & health implicationshealth implications

http://media.readersdigest.com.au/dynamic

RegulationsRegulations

Tap Water (EPA)Tap Water (EPA) Detailed Consumer Detailed Consumer

Reports (water source, Reports (water source, contaminant test contaminant test violations) to consumersviolations) to consumers

Microbial tests several Microbial tests several times per daytimes per day

Tests 4 times the number Tests 4 times the number of chemical contaminants of chemical contaminants as required by the SDWA as required by the SDWA

Bottled Water (FDA)Bottled Water (FDA) No reports to consumers No reports to consumers

are requiredare required Microbial Tests once per Microbial Tests once per

weekweek Tests for only ¼ of the Tests for only ¼ of the

chemical contaminants chemical contaminants listed by SDWAlisted by SDWA

Corvallis Water & Corvallis Water & SDWASDWA

Effect: cancer& liver

damage

Effect: cancer

Effect: death

Research on Bottled Water Research on Bottled Water Contaminants (2008)Contaminants (2008)

Environmental Working Group (EWG) Environmental Working Group (EWG) found found 38 pollutants 38 pollutants in 10 major brandsin 10 major brands Average of 8 contaminants per brandAverage of 8 contaminants per brand Disinfection byproducts, fertilizer residue, and Disinfection byproducts, fertilizer residue, and

pain medicationpain medication Walmart's SamWalmart's Sam’’s Choice and Giant's s Choice and Giant's

Acadia store brands bore the chemical Acadia store brands bore the chemical signature of signature of standard municipal water standard municipal water treatment…treatment…

Research on Bottled Water Research on Bottled Water Contaminants (2008)Contaminants (2008)

In other words, it was tap water. The only In other words, it was tap water. The only differences: differences: the price tag (bottled water is 1900x more)the price tag (bottled water is 1900x more) the contaminants (the bottled water exceeded the contaminants (the bottled water exceeded

CA state standards for cancer-causing CA state standards for cancer-causing disinfectant pollutants)disinfectant pollutants)

*Environmental Working Group*Environmental Working Group

Environmental Working Group: Environmental Working Group: Bottled Water Scorecard (2011)Bottled Water Scorecard (2011)

Survey of 173 unique bottled water productsSurvey of 173 unique bottled water products

18% fail to list the source and 32% disclose nothing 18% fail to list the source and 32% disclose nothing about the treatment or purity of the waterabout the treatment or purity of the water

Only two of 188 bottled water brands listed source, Only two of 188 bottled water brands listed source, treatment and puritytreatment and purity

Close to Close to half of all bottled water is sourced from half of all bottled water is sourced from municipal tap watermunicipal tap water

It takes approximately 2000 times more energy to It takes approximately 2000 times more energy to produce an equivalent amount of tap water**produce an equivalent amount of tap water**

*Water Watch 2010 and BMC 2010 *Water Watch 2010 and BMC 2010 **Gleick 2009 **Gleick 2009 EWG Bottled Water ScorecardEWG Bottled Water Scorecard

2. Environmental Impacts2. Environmental Impactsof the bottlesof the bottles

Path To MarketPath To Market

(International Bottled Water Association)

What is a basin/aquifer, and why does it What is a basin/aquifer, and why does it matter if we pump water out of it?matter if we pump water out of it?

http://www.cleanwateroxford.org/watershed.htmhttp://www.sciencemadesimple.co.uk/page72g.htmlhttp://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthgwaquifer.html

Life Cycle Impacts: ProductionLife Cycle Impacts: Production

It takes 72 billion gallons of It takes 72 billion gallons of water per year just to produce water per year just to produce the the empty bottles empty bottles used for used for bottled water.bottled water.

~109,000 Olympic Swimming Pools~109,000 Olympic Swimming Pools

**Emily Gersema, Associated Press (2003)**Emily Gersema, Associated Press (2003)***FAO and Earth Policy Institute (2006)***FAO and Earth Policy Institute (2006)

Life Cycle Impacts: ProductionLife Cycle Impacts: Production

It takes It takes ~900 million gallons ~900 million gallons of oilof oil to make empty PET to make empty PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) (Polyethylene terephthalate) bottles for bottles for bottled water.bottled water.

Life Cycle Impacts: ShippingLife Cycle Impacts: Shipping

““We're moving 1 billion bottles of water around We're moving 1 billion bottles of water around each week in ships, trains, and trucks in the United each week in ships, trains, and trucks in the United States alone… That's a States alone… That's a weekly convoy equivalent to weekly convoy equivalent to 37,800 18-wheelers delivering water37,800 18-wheelers delivering water.”.”

- - Message in a bottle Message in a bottle by Chris Fishman for www.fastcompany.com (2007)by Chris Fishman for www.fastcompany.com (2007)

““A British study has found that drinking a bottle of water has the A British study has found that drinking a bottle of water has the same impact on the environment as driving a car a kilometer. same impact on the environment as driving a car a kilometer. Bottled water production generates Bottled water production generates 600 times more CO2 than 600 times more CO2 than drinking tap waterdrinking tap water.” .”

- - http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23238015-1248,00.html#http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23238015-1248,00.html#

Life Cycle Impacts: DisposalLife Cycle Impacts: Disposal

Many plastic bottles are Many plastic bottles are NOT being recycled.NOT being recycled.

Recycling rate has fallen Recycling rate has fallen from 54% in 1994 tofrom 54% in 1994 to 47.5% 47.5% in 2009.in 2009.

US consumes US consumes 50 Billion50 Billion 16- 16-ounce Polyethylene ounce Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles terephthalate (PET) bottles

((167167 bottles per person) bottles per person)

Water Follies (2002), Water Follies (2002), www.designinsite.dk, , msnbc, 2005; fast company.com (2007)msnbc, 2005; fast company.com (2007)

Plastics do not biodegrade, they Plastics do not biodegrade, they photodegradephotodegrade (They break into smaller and smaller pieces of plastic that are often still (They break into smaller and smaller pieces of plastic that are often still

very difficult to reincorporate into ecological systems.)very difficult to reincorporate into ecological systems.)

Life Cycle Impacts: DisposalLife Cycle Impacts: Disposal

3. The Business of Water3. The Business of Water

http://images01.tzimg.com/

Sources of Bottled WaterSources of Bottled Water

www.fda.gov

Types of Bottled WaterTypes of Bottled Water Artesian Water/Artesian Well WaterArtesian Water/Artesian Well Water - Water from a well that taps an aquifer in which the - Water from a well that taps an aquifer in which the

water level stands at some height above the top of the aquifer. water level stands at some height above the top of the aquifer. Not as valuable as Spring Not as valuable as Spring Water, but may be the same water.Water, but may be the same water.

Drinking WaterDrinking Water - Water that is bottled sanitarily without added sweetners or chemical - Water that is bottled sanitarily without added sweetners or chemical additives. Flavors, extracts, or essences may be added.additives. Flavors, extracts, or essences may be added.

Mineral WaterMineral Water - Water containing no less than 250 parts per million total dissolved solids. - Water containing no less than 250 parts per million total dissolved solids. Many times from a geothermal well or spring.Many times from a geothermal well or spring.

Purified WaterPurified Water - Water from which all minerals and any other solids have been removed. - Water from which all minerals and any other solids have been removed. May also be called distilled, deionized, or reverse osmosis.May also be called distilled, deionized, or reverse osmosis.

Sparkling WaterSparkling Water - Water that after treatment, and possible replacement with carbon - Water that after treatment, and possible replacement with carbon dioxide, contains the same amount of carbon dioxide that it had as it emerged from the dioxide, contains the same amount of carbon dioxide that it had as it emerged from the source.source.

Spring WaterSpring Water - Water derived from an underground formation from which water flows - Water derived from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the surface of the earth. naturally to the surface of the earth. It must be collected only at the spring or through a It must be collected only at the spring or through a bore hole tapping the underground formation.bore hole tapping the underground formation.

Well WaterWell Water - Water from a hole drilled in the ground which taps the water of an aquifer.  - Water from a hole drilled in the ground which taps the water of an aquifer. 

http://www.soc.duke.edu/~s142tm16/glossary.htm

Bottled Water vs. Tap WaterBottled Water vs. Tap Water Bottled water is Bottled water is a lot a lot more expensive than tap water.more expensive than tap water.

Corvallis Tap Water = $0.003 per gallonCorvallis Tap Water = $0.003 per gallon

Brita Filter Pitcher ($25.00) and filter ($8.00) = tap water with the filter gets us to Brita Filter Pitcher ($25.00) and filter ($8.00) = tap water with the filter gets us to $0.10 to $0.12 /gal.$0.10 to $0.12 /gal.

Bottled Waters: Bottled Waters: Mt. Shasta = $2.56/gal to Mt. Shasta = $2.56/gal to Perrier = $5.03/galPerrier = $5.03/galAquafina = $3.77/galAquafina = $3.77/galDasani = $3.38/galDasani = $3.38/galPark City “Ice” Water = $18.00/galPark City “Ice” Water = $18.00/gal

Bottled Water vs. Tap WaterBottled Water vs. Tap Water

““It struck me…that all you had to do is take the water It struck me…that all you had to do is take the water out of the ground and then sell it for more than the out of the ground and then sell it for more than the price of wine, milk, or, for that matter, oil.” –Perrier price of wine, milk, or, for that matter, oil.” –Perrier Chairman (1988)Chairman (1988)

If the water we use at home cost whatIf the water we use at home cost whateven “cheap” bottled water costs, even “cheap” bottled water costs, our our monthlymonthly water bill water bill in Mt. Shasta prices in Mt. Shasta prices would be over would be over $21,000.$21,000.

Bottled Water is Big BusinessBottled Water is Big Business

In 2002, bottled water corporations spent $93.8 million for In 2002, bottled water corporations spent $93.8 million for advertisingadvertising. . (Boston Globe, September 25, (Boston Globe, September 25, 20052005))

Profit Margins range from 15% for small bottlers to Profit Margins range from 15% for small bottlers to 600%600% for for large bottlers large bottlers (NRDC, Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works)(NRDC, Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works)

REVENUESREVENUES (2007) (2007) $10 to $15 Billion in U.S$10 to $15 Billion in U.S

$47.5 to $100 Billion $47.5 to $100 Billion Worldwide Worldwide

(Beverage Marketing Corp.(Beverage Marketing Corp.

World Water Forum 2006; 2007)World Water Forum 2006; 2007)

Who Dominates Market In Who Dominates Market In Oregon?Oregon?

Nestle = 29%Nestle = 29%Crystal Geyser (currently with Dannon)= 20%Crystal Geyser (currently with Dannon)= 20%Pepsi = 20%Pepsi = 20%Coca-Cola = 18%Coca-Cola = 18%

Others = EartHOthers = EartH220 and other smaller bottlers who 0 and other smaller bottlers who

are our neighbors = 6%are our neighbors = 6%

Recent Backlash in USRecent Backlash in US

An Estimated 20 An Estimated 20 universities have universities have banned the sale of banned the sale of bottled water on bottled water on campus- not OSU campus- not OSU (the (the

Register Guard Oct 20, 2010)Register Guard Oct 20, 2010)

Should OSU? Why or Should OSU? Why or why not? why not?

http://takebackthetap.org/

Rethink water!Rethink water! Take home messagesTake home messages

Tap water is better regulated than bottled water, plus more Tap water is better regulated than bottled water, plus more environmentally and socially responsible (lower carbon footprint, environmentally and socially responsible (lower carbon footprint, less plastic pollution, not supporting mega corporations)less plastic pollution, not supporting mega corporations)

ActionsActions Carry your own water in a reusable BPA-free bottle, or just drink Carry your own water in a reusable BPA-free bottle, or just drink

from a glass or fountainfrom a glass or fountain If you have to buy a drink that comes in a plastic bottle, read the If you have to buy a drink that comes in a plastic bottle, read the

label (look for the water source and how it was treated), look for label (look for the water source and how it was treated), look for environmentally friendly bottles, and then REUSE the bottle several environmentally friendly bottles, and then REUSE the bottle several times before you recycle it!times before you recycle it!

RethinkRethink Water is essential to life… Should it be for sale?Water is essential to life… Should it be for sale?