International Bottled Water Association | MEDIA RELEASE | June 8, 2016
Bottled Water Industry Visits Capitol Hill to Promote Healthy Hydration For All
Alexandria, VA – Nearly 100 bottled water producers, distributors, and suppliers from the International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) descended upon Capitol Hill today, just after news broke that bottled water is poised to overtake carbonated soft drinks as America’s largest beverage category, by volume, by 2017, if not by the end of 2016. “While some consumers have turned away from regular, full-calorie sodas in favor of their diet versions, many others transitioned to bottled water instead,” according to Michael Bellas, Beverage Marketing Corporation chairman and CEO. Water bottlers visited with members of the Senate and House of Representatives to share this news—and to educate them about the bottled water industry. One fact IBWA members relayed was that bottled water has the lowest environmental footprint of any packaged beverage, having the smallest water use and lowest energy use of any packaged drink.
Among the various topics bottled water producers discussed with their members of Congress was the National Park Service (NPS) policy that allows parks to ban the sale of bottled water. Analysis of the NPS policy indicates that limiting park visitors’ access to the healthiest packaged beverage is inconsistent with other Administration priorities that promote healthy hydration via water consumption and encourage the enjoyment of the national parks. IBWA bottlers, distributors, and suppliers urged members of Congress to reach out to the NPS with their concerns. In the wake of lead contamination in the Flint, Michigan tap water, the group also asked Congress to support the creation of an emergency USDA grants program that would give school children access to bottled water during times of national emergency if the local public water system is contaminated.
For more information about bottled water and recycling, please visit IBWA’s website.
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Media Contact:
Jill Culora
jculora@bottledwater.org
703.647.4609
The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) is the authoritative source of information about all types of bottled waters, including spring, mineral, purified, artesian, and sparkling. Founded in 1958, IBWA’s membership includes U.S. and international bottlers, distributors and suppliers. IBWA is committed to working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates bottled water as a packaged food product, to set comprehensive and stringent standards for safe, high-quality bottled water products.
In addition to FDA regulations, IBWA member bottlers must adhere to the IBWA Bottled Water Code of Practice, which mandates additional standards and practices that in some cases are more stringent than federal and state regulations. A key feature of the IBWA Bottled Water Code of Practice is a mandatory annual plant inspection by an independent, third-party organization.
IBWA is proud to be a partner with Keep America Beautiful and a supporter of Drink Up, an initiative of former First Lady Michelle Obama and the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), which encourages Americans to drink more water more often – whether from the tap, a filter, or in a bottle. Choosing water is always the healthy choice.
