Canada is blessed with many natural resources and access to fresh drinking water is one of its greatest. Bottled water producers in Canada have played a role in protecting that resource and through leading innovation in packaging and recycling.
Recently there was a discussion about enjoying local tap water over bottled water. This is a choice most Canadians also make. Almost 70 per cent of Canadians, according to the latest research, choose tap as their primary water source, often making the choice for tap water at home and bottled water on the go.
It should be pointed out that, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada, bottled water sold in Canada represents just 0.009 per cent of the approximately 38,300 million cubic metres of water that are annually withdrawn from Canada's rivers, lakes, groundwater and oceans. But being responsible producers does not stop when the water is bottled - 100 per cent polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, which are often used for bottled water, are one of the most environmentally efficient consumer packages on the market.
British Columbians can be proud of their recycling rates with approximately 80 per cent of our industry's containers being recycled and turned into everything from park slides to fleece jackets, sleeping bags, shoes, car parts and the list goes on.
Successful recycling in B.C. in large part has been supported by the Encorp Return-It program. As of 2016 reports from the Return-It program, the Fraser-Fort George Regional district has one of the highest per capita recycling rates for beverage containers, 50 per cent higher than the provincial average.
In the end, we believe there is a place for both bottled water and tap water to co-exist and the research supports this.
Jim Goetz, president
Canadian Beverage Association
