:. Food Industry News


USA: Mayors Agree to Phase Out Bottled Water for Municipal Workers; Industry Reacts

Source: FLEXNEWS
24/06/2008

24 June 2008 - At the U.S. Conference of Mayors convention in Miami yesterday, a majority of about 250 mayors voted to phase out the regular use of bottled water for its employees and functions and, instead, promote the importance of municipal water.

Daily News Alerts

According to Corporate Accountability International, over the past year, the U.S. Conference of Mayors (representing more than 1,100 mayors across the US) has investigated the economic and environmental impacts bottled water may have.

They found that bottled water is being sold for as much as 4,000 times the cost of tap water delivery even though up to 40% of bottled water comes from the same source.

Corporate Accountability International also argues that U.S. cities are also spending more than USD 70 million a year to dispose of plastic water bottles.

The organisation points out that US cities are currently in the need of an additional USD 22 billion or more each year to maintain and expand public water systems.

"The resolution is seen as a means of rebuilding the public support needed to make this investment, in the face of an annual $150 million-plus bottled water advertising blitz that has eroded the public’s confidence in tap water. Today one in five people believe the only place to get water is from a bottle".

In response to the vote, the American Beverage Association said that the U.S. Conference of Mayors decided to embrace "sound-bite environmentalism over sound public policy by passing a resolution discouraging the use of bottled water by city government, rather than address the more pressing economic and pocketbook issues burdening American families".

"It’s disappointing that some mayors find it more important to spend their time attacking a healthy beverage at a time when families are suffering from floods, rising food and fuel costs and threats to their homes and jobs," added Kevin Keane, a senior vice president of the American Beverage Association.

In a statement, the American Beverage Association states that plastic water bottles are 100% recyclable and are in high demand to make new plastic bottles, carpeting, winter jackets, clothing and other consumer goods.

"We’re making a positive impact on the environment that goes far beyond politically expedient sound-bites ... There’s no other consumer products industry doing more to reduce its impact on the environment than the beverage industry", Keane said.

According to a previous report on FLEXNEWS, the United States (the world's top consumer of bottled water) consumed 8.823 million gallons in 2007. Compared to 2006, US consumption grew 6.9%.

US consultancy firm Beverage Marketing Corporation (BMC) even sees further growth again this year – a 6.7% increase to 9.418 million gallons.

According to the BMC, the wholesale dollar sales for bottled water in the US exceeded USD 11.55 billion in 2007 - a 6.4% rise compared to USD 10.85 billion recorded in 2006.



GO   View more articles on this subject


More Alerts from 25/06/2008


Email This Article To A Colleague     Print A Copy Of This Page
 
 
 
 
FLEXNEWS - Business News for the Food Industry

About Us | Contact Us | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy
 
Daily News Alerts
Related Items
International Bottled Water Association Testifies at...
NutriPure Beverages, Inc. Expands Business Model In...
US: MOM's - My Organic Market Bans the Sale of Imported...
NutriPure Beverages, Inc. Acquires XND Technologies,...
Attorney General Brown Warns Nestle of Legal Challenge...
Skinny Nutritional Corp. Announces Agreement with Anheuser-Busch...
Dasani, Aquafina and Nestle Water Brands Strengthen...
Nestle Waters North America Proposes Smaller Bottling...
Soma Beverage Recalls Metromint Flavor Water
The US Bottled Water Industry – An Overview

More in Food Industry News
Sugar, Coffee Up Sharply, Outlook Uncertain
Mexican Gruma's Derivatives Hit by Peso Slump
Poland: Unilever to Open Poznan Liquid Food Centre...
Cargill Reports 1Q Fiscal 2009 Earnings up 62% Y-o-Y;...
France Wine Harvest Outlook 2008 Predicts 5% Fall on...
Hat Trick Beverages (HKBV) Announces Completion Italian...
Thai FDA Response to Melamine in Chinese Dairy Products
Castle Brands Executes Agreement to Receive Cash Infusion...
Ivory Coast Cuts Cocoa Industry Levies by 60 pct
European Commission Submits Updated Measures on China...

Top Headlines
Sugar, Coffee Up Sharply, Outlook Uncertain
Mexican Gruma's Derivatives Hit by Peso Slump
Poland: Unilever to Open Poznan Liquid Food Centre...
Cargill Reports 1Q Fiscal 2009 Earnings up 62% Y-o-Y;...
France Wine Harvest Outlook 2008 Predicts 5% Fall on...
Thai FDA Response to Melamine in Chinese Dairy Products
Castle Brands Executes Agreement to Receive Cash Infusion...
European Commission Submits Updated Measures on China...
Sri Lanka August Tea Output Falls on Bad Weather
Kenya Sells 220 Million kg Tea in Jan-Sept
Uganda's 07/08 Coffee Earnings Jump 52 pct
Croat Podravka Plans Fresh Regional Push
New Kenyan Brewery to Battle Beer Behemoth
Indonesia to Replant Cocoa Trees Despite Crisis
Central America Trade Talks with Europe Fruitless
Indonesia Coffee Exporters Want Early Payment
Farmer Brothers' Coffee Bean Intl. Opens New Portland...
France: Leclerc Says Crisis to Hit Retail Sector
Novozymes and Solae to Develop Next Generation of Soy...
Saudi Almarai Q3 Profit Rises, Beats Forecasts
Cargill to Cease Operations at Carthage, Missouri Shortening...
Pepsi to Reinvest in Soft Drink Business
Alaska Pollock Fishery - Staple of US Fast Food Industry...
UK's Premier Foods Looking at Ways to Cut Debt
China Milk Scandal Companies Apologize
US Orange Juice Price May Fall Despite Smaller Crop
France Withdraws Contaminated Chinese Sweets
Brazilian Coffee Trade Hampered by Credit Crisis
France: Groupe Sill Acquires Leading Milk Powder Maker...
SABMiller Announces Launch of New National Beer Brand...
William Grant & Sons to Shift Raynal Brandy Production...
EU Commission Approves Proposed Acquisition of Sole...
Food Additive For Supplying Mineral Nutrients


 


FLEXNEWS 2008 - All rights reserved
ISSN 1950-6228