The next battle

Bottled water has become ubiquitous but now faces challenges on two fronts. What brings this to mind was this story in the Washington Post.

The Water's a Must, but the Bottle Could Be Trouble

Retailers, Regulators and Researchers Wrestle With Whether Polycarbonate Containers Pose Health Risk

Catching his breath at a fitness club, Matt McHugh took a gulp of water from his trusty Nalgene plastic bottle and pondered the idea of switching to an alternative made of glass, stainless steel or another kind of plastic.

Worries about a hormone-mimicking chemical used in the bottles' construction led a major Canadian retailer to remove polycarbonate containers made by Nalgene and other manufacturers from store shelves in early December.

"It's definitely a concern, but I'd like to learn more before I make any decisions about my water bottles," McHugh, 26, a business manager for a reggae band, said with an easy laugh. "For now, I'll probably keep using my Nalgene until it breaks. It's indestructible, I've heard."

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While health is always a major concern, some cities are seeing water bottles from the perspective of waste management.

Water-bottle waste

Ubiquitous plastic water bottles, originally associated with a healthy lifestyle, aren't so healthy for the environment.

Aside from the fact that making so many individual water bottles creates a large carbon footprint, many of the plastics in the water bottles can be recycled only once. What is worse, in New Jersey, it has been estimated that up to 70 percent of plastic water bottles are not recycled at all. Instead, they end up in landfills or incinerators, where they pollute the environment. Nationwide, it is estimated that 2 million tons of plastic water bottles end up in landfills each year. The good news is that all of the problems associated with plastic water bottles are easily fixed by incor porating a few simple changes into our daily routine.

Switching from plastic to a reusable thermos or a glass is the best option. Filling the reusable container with tap or filtered water also makes sense. Recent reports show that up to 40 percent of the hyped "pure mountain spring water" we are buying actually comes from filtered tap water. There should be little difference in taste or quality between the two. Reus able containers help to save money, since people would not be constantly replacing their old water bottles, sometimes at more than $2 per bottle. Reus able containers are easy to clean, they can be refilled al most anywhere, and many containers hold more water than the average-size marketed water bottle, so they would have to be refilled less often.

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NEW YEAR, NEW LAWS

New Year brings bottled water tax

Retailers fear it will push customers out to suburbs

In her never-ending effort to maintain her health and appearance, Jill Walker credits bottled water with improving her digestion, maintaining her skin's elasticity and keeping her away from sugary soda.

The Chicago resident drinks one bottle in the morning after her workout. She tosses another into her bag to take to the office and finishes two more with dinner.
"It's a big part of my health regimen," she says. "When I'm properly hydrated, I can feel the difference in my muscles and my energy level."

Chicago is set to impose a 5-cent tax on bottled water on Jan. 1, becoming the first major U.S. city to demand such a surcharge. The move -- which officials predict will secure an extra $10.5 million annually -- will help the city plug a budget hole by building on the growing disdain for environmentally suspect.
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