Should the sale of bottled water be banned across Canada?

How much plastic goes into landfills or has to recycled every day due to bottled water? What is its environmental toll?

I have heard of pre-historic people in the 1980s who used a device called a "water-fountain." Before that, I think in the 1970s, people got their water from swamps - but I'm not too sure.

Loads of folks are getting fancy stainless steel bottles, and that's a great idea. If we all kept a bottle, then refilled it from a magic source - like a "tap" or "water-fountain" - well then everyone's thirst would be quenched without major costs to the earth or the pocket book.

People are missing the point saying that the deposit should be increased to promote recycling.

The carbon footprint that this industry leaves behind is unacceptable, especially considering the environmental challenges we face today. All the resources and energy that is being used, or should I say wasted to sell consumers basically what they are already getting out of there tap is ridiculous. The whole process of packaging, shipping, selling, and then recycling the leftover bottles is absurd.

At the very least the small 500 ml bottles should be banned. I know it's convenient but at what price? And I know I am guilty of it as well, and I kick myself every time I do it because of all the waste that is left over, I have installed a water filter under the sink and am very happy with the results from it. I drink a lot of water and the only reason I filter it is because all our water here is very hard so therefore we need to soften it, which unfortunately doesn't taste very nice. I hope it does get a country wide ban, People will find other alternatives to having pre filled plastic bottles. I know at work I just have a 500 ml bottle that I keep refilling from the large water cooler that is supplied for us.

I hope this promotes a change for the better.

People are missing the point saying that the deposit should be increased to promote recycling.

The carbon footprint that this industry leaves behind is unacceptable, especially considering the environmental challenges we face today. All the resources and energy that is being used, or should I say wasted to sell consumers basically what they are already getting out of there tap is ridiculous. The whole process of packaging, shipping, selling, and then recycling the leftover bottles is absurd.

At the very least the small 500 ml bottles should be banned. I know it's convenient but at what price? And I know I am guilty of it as well, and I kick myself every time I do it because of all the waste that is left over, I have installed a water filter under the sink and am very happy with the results from it. I drink a lot of water and the only reason I filter it is because all our water here is very hard so therefore we need to soften it, which unfortunately doesn't taste very nice. I hope it does get a country wide ban, People will find other alternatives to having pre filled plastic bottles. I know at work I just h

Bravo Winnipeg....finally there is someone out there who gets it.

How odd that we put the most natural into these horrible things that pretty much never decompose. There are things called water fountains and taps which apparently give us better quality water than the stuff you get in those bottles. If you need a bottle or portable container like I buy an environmentally friendly one and fill it up. Now how revolutionary is that? How much more lazy and wasteful can we become before we understand we are completely out of touch with natural order of things. Wake up everyone and do your part in saving yourself.

So...ban ban ban away Canada. Let our nation once again be a leader in the world by making positive and effective change when it comes to the environment and common good of all people. Humans are very adaptable after all and you know what? Our heads won't explode it we don't have a mass produced water bottles.

Bo

Yes absolutely. People are missing the point saying that the deposit should be increased to promote recycling.

The carbon footprint that this industry leaves behind is unacceptable, especially considering the environmental challenges we face today. All the resources and energy that is being used, or should I say wasted to sell consumers basically what they are already getting out of there tap is ridiculous. The whole process of packaging, shipping, selling, and then recycling the leftover bottles is absurd.

At the very least the small 500 ml bottles should be banned. I know it's convenient but at what price? And I know I am guilty of it as well, and I kick myself every time I do it because of all the waste that is left over, I have installed a water filter under the sink and am very happy with the results from it. I drink a lot of water and the only reason I filter it is because all our water here is very hard so therefore we need to soften it, which unfortunately doesn't taste very nice. I hope it does get a country wide ban, People will find other alternatives to having pre filled plastic bottles. I know at work I just have a 500 ml bottle that I keep refilling from the large water cooler that is supplied for us.

I hope this promotes a change for the better.

First of all I would like to correct something. The University of Winnipeg is not the first in Canada to ban the sale of bottled water. A small town in Ontario (Callendar) baned the sale of bottled water in all stores and restaurants last summer.

I don't believe that the country should follow suit. I only purchase bottled water and never use tap water. I find tap water tastes funny. It's not like you can just turn on the tap in any city that you visit and get a good glass of water. The quality of water is different from city to city and holds no consistency. At least I know that when I purchase a specific type of bottled water it will taste the same every time.

As for the land fills, these bottles are recyclable. Several people do not recycle and I understand that but why not start charging a small bottle fee that you get upon the return of your water bottle to a recycling plant. If we can do this for pop cans and pop bottles why not water bottles?

Absolutely.

I think it is ridiculous that these bottles cannot be recycled so with that said yes of course there should be a ban on them and every other type of packaging that cannot be put in the blue box.

Most Canadians are still acting in a foolish manner. What I hear from people is "It's not my problem. I don't have time for that."

I think it's time to take this to the next level and hold each individual person - adult and child, responsible. Close the dumps so that individually we are made to see the effect of our own doing. If you are caught dumping - jail time instantly. Give them a week. No trial. See how often they repeat the offence. And that goes for smokers who throw their butts on the ground too. But that's another debate.

Canadians are well know as pampered and, dare I say it, lazy as a nation. Sure we're a nice bunch and well liked by most other countries. That's because we never put up a fuss. We don't ever stand up and say "We don't like the way this isn't working. We're going to use our collective creativity and knowledge to find THE solution to the problems we face."

Start by making everyone accountable.

Bring a water bottle from home and fill it with tap water. If your tap water isn't good enough to drink than it shouldn't be running from your tap. That's an issue that needs to be dealt with municipally.

And for those of you who aren't up to speed, a lot of the 'fresh spring water' that you are buying has come directly from someones tap.

Now the other side to all of this is that when you are out and get thirsty and don't have your bottle of water with you than buying a sweet drink is not an option for a lot of people. I get that. I, myself, don't drink pop and can only drink so much juice in a day and I'm raising my kids in this healthy way too.

But some how we survived centuries without.

There must be a solution.

At the very least the small 500 ml bottles should be banned. I know it's convenient but at what price? And I know I am guilty of it as well, and I kick myself every time I do it because of all the waste that is left over, I have installed a water filter under the sink and am very happy with the results from it. I drink a lot of water and the only reason I filter it is because all our water here is very hard so therefore we need to soften it, which unfortunately doesn't taste very nice. I hope it does get a country wide ban, People will find other alternatives to having pre filled plastic bottles. I know at work I just have a 500 ml bottle that I keep refilling from the large water cooler that is supplied for us.

I hope this promotes a change for the better.

Let me say how sick I am of hearing that bottle water should be banned. I work in the industry and don't see anything wrong with it.

Firstly, all you 'banners' say water is and should stay free. Ok sure, but what happens when your water source becomes tainted? If you have a boil water advisory for lets say a week, are you seriously going to be able to keep up with the demand or will you succumb and take the water offered ( usually free or discounted ) that water companies offer? I know some homes in the country that have well water and the sulphur content is horrid. It smells like you're drinking a rotten egg. Its too much to even brush your teeth with. Can you imagine drinking that? Not even a Brita can rid all the smell and taste.

And then you also complain about the plastic in the landfills or on the side of the road. Well Coke and Pepsi bottles are littering the roadways and landfills just the same. Why target just us? And how about all those Tim Hortons cups or McDonalds bags we see as well? Did you feel the need to join a bandwagon of bitching and decided to hop on this one? Complain about everything else too, not just us.

Then if your ban goes through and I lose my job will you pay my bills? Put clothes on my kids back? Feed my family? I live in a tourism based town and this factory that I work at is the only decent job in the area. I could not pay all my bills if I had to work for minimum wage. The company does a lot of commuity work and contributions. They sponsor teams for adults and children, donate water to various charities and fund raisers and plant trees all around to help regenerate the vegetation.

Have you taken everything into consideration when trying to implement this ban???

Bottled water is nothing more that filtered tap water in most cases. In many towns and cities across this country people are not recycling their bottles and they are going in landfills. Also, I don't think anyone mentioned the resources that are used to produce, bottle and ship water. Why waster these resources when we could easily turn on a tap and receive good clean water. We now have the ability to filter our own water at home if you do not like the taste and people are still able to boil water if there is an issue with bacteria. There is no doubt that bottled water is convenient but that doesn't make it good for the planet. Certainly, it would be easier to throw all of my garbage in a landfill rather that recycling and composting, but easier isn't always better. The University of Winnipeg has every right to ban bottled water. I don't know that the rest of the country could follow suit, but with a little education, maybe businesses and organizations will choose not to stock and sell bottled water - my husband owns an A&W and he stopped selling bottled water 3 years ago. He has filtered water available for free. He may be losing money, but he is helping the environment in his own small way.

If you are going to ban bottled water, then you should also ban bottled pop. If I am going to spend my money on one or the other, and they don't have what Im looking for, I'll end up buying a bottled something anyways, it wouldn't make much a difference for me. You should have a choice. By all means, install more fountains to refill the bottled waters for those who wish to refill their containers.

Not only that, do you realize that there is a Subway and a Extreme Pita right across the street from U of Winnipeg? They sell bottled water, if students cant buy on the property of the University, they may go there to buy, or walk to Portage Place (not even a 10 minute walk away from there) to buy a bottled water if the students really want to buy a bottled water?

There will be no way to completely ban the bottled waters. If students want it, they'll find a way to get it. IE, minors finding a way to buy beer when they shouldn't.