There is a battle between bottled water waste and the sale of these waters at national parks. What's your take on it?

1. Should More National
Parks Ban Disposable
Water Bottles?

2. 223,217,31
Grand Canyon National Geographic Visitor Center
450 State Route 64 Grand Canyon, AZ, 86023
Phone: 928-638-2468
explorethecanyon.com
There’s so much bottle water waste in National Parks.
 At their height of popularity, disposable water bottle waste made up a whopping 20% of all
waste generated by the Grand Canyon’s visitors on the South Rim.
 Not only is that a huge portion of needless waste, but it’s all plastic, something that takes
decades to break down naturally. Understandably, the Grand Canyon National Park banned
the sale of all disposable water bottles back in 2012, following a wave of over 20 national parks
across the country that have been banning disposable water bottles since 2011.

3. 223,217,31
Grand Canyon National Geographic Visitor Center
450 State Route 64 Grand Canyon, AZ, 86023
Phone: 928-638-2468
explorethecanyon.com
International Bottled Water Association
The International Bottled Water Association, a representative group fighting for over 200
bottling companies, has been taking steps to lift every national park water bottle ban in the
country, with the association’s vice president, Chris Hogan, claiming, “This is a prominent,
misleading attack on bottled water that has no justification.”

4. 223,217,31
Grand Canyon National Geographic Visitor Center
450 State Route 64 Grand Canyon, AZ, 86023
Phone: 928-638-2468
explorethecanyon.com
Zion National Park
Zion National Park in Utah sees over
2.7 million visitors annually, and they
were one of the first national parks
to ban the sales of water bottles,
instead offering guests the
opportunity to buy a refillable
water bottle that could be filled, for
free, at one of many water stations
along the park’s trails.

5. 223,217,31
Grand Canyon National Geographic Visitor Center
450 State Route 64 Grand Canyon, AZ, 86023
Phone: 928-638-2468
explorethecanyon.com
Plastic Waste vs. Unhealthy Beverages
“It’s misleading to say [the ban] pushes people to drink less healthy beverages—in reality they
still get free water, and they can get a bottle just as cheap as most bottled waters,” says
Alyssa Baltrus, a spokesperson for the park. The park estimates that it eliminates over 5,000
pounds of plastic waste annually thanks to the ban.

6. 223,217,31
Grand Canyon National Geographic Visitor Center
450 State Route 64 Grand Canyon, AZ, 86023
Phone: 928-638-2468
explorethecanyon.com
New Results for the Bottling Industry
Despite the results seen at Zion National Park, the National Park Service acknowledges the
concerns of the bottling industry.

7. 223,217,31
Grand Canyon National Geographic Visitor Center
450 State Route 64 Grand Canyon, AZ, 86023
Phone: 928-638-2468
explorethecanyon.com
Is it really about the loss of money?
Maybe a blanket
ban isn’t the option,
but one thing is for
certain: the IBWA
stands to lose money
if water bottles are
banned at national
parks, regardless of
how these bans
would impact visitors
or the environment.

8. 223,217,31
Grand Canyon National Geographic Visitor Center
450 State Route 64 Grand Canyon, AZ, 86023
Phone: 928-638-2468
explorethecanyon.com
Ethics, Water & Global Warming
With bottled water companies under fire for their ethics, the quality of their water, and their
contributions to global warming, these bans still inhabit a grey area that needs to be clarified.

9. 223,217,31
Grand Canyon National Geographic Visitor Center
450 State Route 64 Grand Canyon, AZ, 86023
Phone: 928-638-2468
explorethecanyon.com
Do you really care if they ban bottled waters at
national park?
Where do you stand on the issues? Let us know in the comments section below, and call or
click today for more information on trip planning, travel, local events, lodging, and more.

10. 223,217,31
Grand Canyon National Geographic Visitor Center
450 State Route 64 Grand Canyon, AZ, 86023
Phone: 928-638-2468
explorethecanyon.com
What are you waiting for; come to the Grand Canyon!
Grand Canyon National Geographic Visitor Center
450 State Route 64 Grand Canyon, AZ 86023
Phone: (928) 638-2468
Group Reservations and Special Events
Phones: (877) 239-3235
Fax: (928) 638-2807
Email: group2@ngvccanyon.com
Visitor Center Hours of Operation
March – October Open 8 AM – 10 PM
November – February Open 10 AM – 8 PM