The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) has applauded Virginia governor Bob McDonnell for reversing the recently imposed ban on single-serve bottled water at official functions and meetings.

Nestlé Waters North America has provided drinking water to approximately two million people in eastern Massachusetts impacted by a break in a major water pipe which delivers water to Boston and nearby communities.

Nestlé Waters North America is an official emergency provider for the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, with which it worked closely to distribute bottled water to the area’s most vulnerable populations, including hospitals, nursing homes and schools for distribution within communities.

Specifically, the company leveraged its efficient regional distribution infrastructure to quickly deliver 40 truckloads – the equivalent of more than one million bottles – of water across the region. Most of this bottled water was Poland Spring Natural Spring Water, which has served the region for more than 160 years.

The company’s Nestlé Pure Life Purified Water and Zephyrhills Natural Spring Water also contributed to the response effort. Production in Nestlé Waters facilities across the Northeast was increased through the duration of the boil-water order, with employees working around the clock to ensure adequate supply to meet the increased demand for bottled water.

“We are proud to have had the opportunity and ability to aid our neighbor communities across the greater Boston area in this time of need,” said Bill Maples, Northeast operations director for Nestlé Waters North America. “Access to clean drinking water is vital in instances when normal supply is temporarily limited or unavailable, and Nestlé Waters remains committed to working with government agencies and relief organizations to help ensure access quickly to those most in need.”

“We can’t thank Nestle Waters North America and Poland Spring enough for their efforts over the past few days,” said Peter Judge, public information officer for the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency. “They stepped up and responded incredibly fast, just as they have in the past. With their distribution network and infrastructure, they were able to make a significant impact in helping us determine how to get the water quickly to those who needed it most.”

Source: Nestlé Waters North America Inc

The Latest In Environmental Responsibility

The past year has seen bottled water companies announcing various ways to reduce the carbon footprint of bottled water bottles. We now have "Environmentally Friendly" bio-degradable bottles, bottles with reduced volumes of plastic material, and recycled plastic bottles.

Now the latest development comes from a South African company, Stora Enso. The new product, called NeoSet, is a full wet strength paper label that contains "post-consumer-waste" (recycled) (PCW) fiber.

NeoSet is a one-side coated wet strength label containing a high percentage of PCW-fibers. It meets all the requirements of label papers specifically used for the production of labels for water and soft drink bottles. NeoSet is produced at Stora Enso's Uetersen Mill in Germany.

"With NeoSet we respond to the growing interest from brand owners in packaging solutions with further improved ecological efficiency characteristics," says Eckhard Kallies, VP for Packaging Papers. "We improve the environmental profile by replacing a high percentage of virgin fiber with post-consumer-waste content.

Today is World Water Day

UN-Water has chosen ‘Clean Water for a Healthy World’ as the theme for World Water Day 2010. The overall goal of the World Water Day on 22 March 2010 campaign is to raise the profile of water quality at the political level so that water quality considerations are made alongside those of water quantity.**

The international observance of World Water Day is an initiative that grew out of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro.

Many World Water Day events for awareness and fund raising are being held around the world. They include: - many walks for water and fund raising in the USA and Europe for a project in Africa or Asia; - school campaigns - street theatre shows - film shows - concerts - a new animated adventure-comedy series for kids aged 5-8 - newspaper articles and radio programs.

World’s longest toilet queue As part of World Water Day there are many toilet queues taking place all over the world from 20-22 March 2010 under the End of Water Poverty campaign umbrella. It is a Guinness World Record attempt to create Worlds’ longest toilet queue to help solve the global sanitation crisis at the same time. 

Related websites

 

 

Going Green- Bottled Water Store.com Recycled Water Bottles

 

Bottled Water Store.com announces a “break-through” in private label bottle water packaging.  Effective immediately, our new line of environmentally friendly Regenerate™ RPET water bottles will be made available to our customers that are served primarily from our California bottling facility. These bottles are made entirely from previously recycled beverage containers. This is truly an industry first.

 

Currently, about 33% of all plastic beverage containers in the U.S. are recycled. Most of these containers are made from PET which is a clear plastic polymer used in package and container manufacturing. As always, we are committed to finding ways to improve our products, and position ourselves as an industry leader.  The use of previously recycled PET will allow all of us to reduce our CO2 emissions by 1 – 1 ½ pounds for every 1 pound of plastic recycled.

 

Countless hours of research as well as a substantial financial investment on our part went into the development of this concept. The hard work and diligent efforts have paid off and we are truly happy to share our new proprietary container with you, our business partners, clients and customers. These bottles will be automatically substituted as our current inventories are depleted. At this time there will be no change in our pricing, UPC codes, or pallet configurations.

 

Bottled Water Tax Will Hurt Consumers, Says IBWA

“For many citizens of Washington, this ill-advised sales tax proposal is a major step backwards, as many in the state rely on bottled water for their health and well-being,” said Tom Lauria, vice president of communications for the International Bottled Water Association.

“Bottled water is regulated as a food at the federal and state level and should not be unfairly singled out for taxation,” he said. “It’s also covered as a food item under the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps).

“For some consumers – such as chemotherapy and transplant patient, elderly, infants or those with immune deficiencies, such as HIV and AIDS – bottled water is the only option for their daily water needs. It’s unfair to single out one of the most important ingredients to their diet.

“Bottled water isn’t a luxury product. It’s indispensable to victims during emergency situations, such as fires, earthquakes or compromised public water systems. Washington shouldn’t tax a product essential to sustaining victims of disaster.

“Many citizens prepare for natural disasters by buying bottled water and storing it in their homes. Look no further than the devastating flooding in the western part of Washington State in early 2009. In addition, the bottled water industry has rapidly stepped to the front and donated water in emergency situations. It’s bad public policy to tax citizens and bottled water companies for their efforts to manage emergency situations.

“All taxes should be broad-based and fair. Singling out bottled water from other food products for taxation will not provide a substantial or stable source of revenue for government funding. It will cost jobs and hurt the small bottled water companies in Washington that support their communities and contribute to the economic vitality of the state.

“IBWA estimates that the tax will cost more than 300 jobs in Washington. It’s a high price to pay to raise less than $30m (less than 5% of the revenue needed in the House-proposed tax package). In addition, a tax on food, including bottled water, is regressive. It has the greatest impact on lower-income households who can least afford the burden.

“Bottled water is a very healthy choice within the beverage market. It contains no calories, additives, cholesterol or sweeteners and is an essential element for some to meet their hydration needs. Tax policy should never discourage people from making healthy choices in their diet.”

Source: International Bottled Water Association 

Wave Powered Desalination Plant to Produce Bottled Water

The Texas General Land Office has granted the first ever state offshore wave-energy lease to Texas-based Renew Blue, Inc (RBI), who will use ocean water and waves to produce 3,000 gallons per day of bottled desalinated water. This is claimed to be the first 100% fossil-fuel-free bottled water.

RBI, a wholly owned subsidiary of Minneapolis based Independent Natural Resourses, Inc is the first licensing entity of the Seadog Pump, a technology that harnesses wave power to generate electricity. RBI will bottle and distribute the freshly desalinated water under the brand "Renew Blue".

Beverage Companies Send Aid To Haiti

The Coca-Cola Foundation has donated $1m to the American Red Cross to assist with emergency relief efforts. In addition, its bottling partner in the Dominican Republic is providing on-the-ground relief with water and other Coca-Cola beverages.

Nestlé Waters North America is donating $1m in bottled water products to support disaster relief efforts.

The PepsiCo Foundation is donating $1m to the earthquake victims, and the food and beverage company PepsiCo will provide Quaker products as well as bottled water and Gatorade for the disaster victims through its bottlers in Florida and the Dominican Republic.

Procter & Gamble Co is providing at least two million packets of PUR Purifier of Water through its Children’s Safe Drinking Water partners.

 

Nestlé Earns Gold Standard

Nestlé Waters North America facility earns US Green Building Council's gold standard for sustainability. Nestlé Waters North America's Nestlé Pure Life water bottling facility in Breinigsville, Penn., officially received the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification. This is the first food manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania to receive LEED Gold status.

LEED is an internationally recognized certification system that measures how well a building performs across various sustainability metrics, including energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction and stewardship of resources.

Nestlé Waters North America is the leading U.S. food and beverage manufacturer in LEED plants. In 2003, the company received the first LEED certification in the U.S. for a food and beverage factory for its plant in Stanwood, Mich. To date, Nestlé Waters has the most LEED-certified facilities of any U.S. food and beverage manufacturer, with more than 2.5 million square feet designed and built to meet LEED certification, according to the company.

As a result of its environmentally-conscious design, the Nestlé Pure Life facility in Breinigsville:

· Saves 9.9 billion BTU's of energy each year, which is enough energy to heat 125 homes for a season
· Conserves approximately 220,000 gallons of water a year, which is 55 percent better than the Environmental Protection Agency requirement
· Reduced construction waste by approximately 75 percent, or the equivalent weight of 2,300 cars

In addition, the Nestlé Pure Life facility will offset its energy usage for two years through its Renewable Energy Certificate purchase from Choose Renewables, which will allow the facility to displace its non-renewable sources of energy from the electric grid and instead fund wind power operations.

In addition to the Breinigsville location, the company currently operates five LEED-certified facilities across the country:

· Madison County, Fla. (Silver rating, 2006)

· Red Boiling Springs, Tenn. (Silver rating, 2005)

· Cabazon, Calif. (Silver rating, 2004) - first food manufacturing facility to earn a silver rating

· Hawkins, Texas (Silver rating, 2004)

· Stanwood, Mich. (full LEED Certification, 2003) - first food and beverage manufacturing facility to earn LEED certification

Three additional Nestlé Waters North America plants are currently under review for LEED status.

Since 2002, Nestlé Waters' LEED-certified plants have produced environmental benefits:

· 9 million gallons of water conserved
• 1.5 million kWH of energy conserved
· 2.1 million pounds of carbon emissions reduced
· 216 million pounds of waste reduced
· 108,000 tons of solid waste diverted from landfills

Governor’s Tax Is A Threat To The Economy, Says IBWA

A large number of these jobs would be in the bottled water manufacturing sector, plus many more jobs in supplier and ancillary industries.

Current US Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that one out of five private sector jobs has disappeared in Michigan since 2000 – a drop of 783,000 jobs (-19.6%).

Nearly 25% of all private sector job losses in the US have occurred in Michigan during this period – the highest rate of any state. Michigan has consistently led the nation in yearly job losses during Governor Granholm’s administration.

The vast majority of bottled water companies in Michigan and throughout the US are small business; family-owned companies of 5-10 employees with annual sales of $1-10m. These are local entrepreneurs with deep roots and strong ties within their community. The severity of Cherry’s bottled water tax proposal could severely disadvantage most of these small companies against their out-of-state competitors.

Bottled water companies use extremely small amounts of groundwater. In fact, the Drinking Water Research Foundation reports that a mere 0.02% of groundwater is withdrawn in the US annually by bottled water companies. Lt Governor Cherry also seeks to strip property rights from Michigan businesses, which is contrary to already settled law and long-standing precedent.

“The bottled water industry has a long history in Michigan of working with the Executive Branch, the Legislature and others on sound and equitable laws and public policy, and we have often gone the extra mile in accepting additional industry-specific regulations as a show of good faith and desire to remain economically viable in Michigan,” said Joe Doss, president and CEO of IBWA. “IBWA’s active involvement in helping to support Senate Bill 857, which established criterion for permitting for large groundwater withdrawals (enacted in 2006) and helping to pass the Great Lakes Compact is proof of that.”

Unconstitutional proposal

John Cherry’s proposed tax on bottled water also attempts to circumvent the 35-year-old Michigan prohibition on taxing the sale of food products. In1974, the voters of Michigan approved an amendment to the state constitution that exempts food products from any sales or use tax.

Bottled water is a food product regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration and the state of Michigan. Therefore, on top of posing serious damage to Michigan’s economy, Cherry’s proposed tax would be unconstitutional.

The new tax as proposed would raise the cost to consumers for a 24-pack case of bottled water by $2.40. This price hike would place an additional financial burden on struggling Michiganders who purchase bottled water to help them stay hydrated and refreshed.

Bottled water is a safe, healthy, convenient product that doesn’t contain sugar, caffeine and other additives that they may be trying to moderate or avoid. Higher bottled water prices may also cause some Michigan consumers to purchase their bottled water from neighbouring states.

Michigan bottled water businesses are already strained in the current economic crisis – a tax on their products will only add further strain. Furthermore, the bottled water industry has a long history in Michigan of coming to the aid of those in distress during incidents when bad weather, floods, fires and other events have prevented municipal water systems from providing clean, safe drinking water.

For bottled water to be available in emergency situations, there must also be a viable commercial marketplace that supports its production. Reducing the commercial viability of bottled water could seriously threaten its availability during emergency situations in Michigan.

Source: IBWA

‘Demilitarized Zone’ Water Launches In South Korea

Chun Woo-chul, spokesman for the Lotte Chilsung Co, which distributes the water nationwide, conceded that company officials “had fears and concerns about the negative image many people have of the DMZ, such as heightened tensions and conflict between the two Koreas, war, division, lethal mines and how the area is heavily fortified.”

However, he said, surveys showed that more people had a positive image of how the DMZ’s “ecosystem is the best in the world, that has been left untouched by humans for the past 50 years. We decided there was no better name than DMZ 2km to pinpoint the purity and cleanness of this water.”

Indeed, ecologists consider the DMZ one of the most important natural areas in the world thanks to the fact that the strip — which is 2.5 miles wide and runs 155 miles from coast to coast — has been left unspoiled by humans since hostilities ended in 1953.

Chun said the name on the bottles is more than a marketing ploy. The water is drawn from inside the DMZ (the ‘2km’ on the label) and bottled nearby, he said. In fact, the company needed special permission from the South Korea Ministry of National Defense to set up its pumping operation.

The DMZ water has been on the market for about three months, and sales have been so good company officials are talking about possibly distributing it overseas.

“Reaction has been good and hot,” Chun said. “We are so proud of the quality of this water drawn from an area where nature has been left undisturbed.”

Source: Stars and Stripes

 

Evian Roller Babies Attract Record 45 Million Hits

Danone, the French food group that owns Evian, said the spot had been viewed on the web 45,166,109 times since its launch last summer, earning a place in the Guinness Book of Records.

Developed by French agency BETC Euro RSCG, the campaign shows the babies performing stunts to the sound of Rapper’s Delight, a song by the Sugarhill Gang that became the first international hip hop hit in 1979. It was remixed for Evian by Dan the Automator, a hip hop producer.

The roller babies follow Evian’s water ballet babies advertisement in 1998.

Rémi Babinet, the founder of BETC Euro RSCG, said: “In a climate of crisis and general gloom, this advert shows that it can play the role of a positive spur in a depressed market.”

Evian – the world’s biggest mineral water producer – claims the campaign has helped to slow a decline in sales. After a drop of 7% last year, they’re down by 2% this year according to Michael Aidan, director of the Evian brand. Analysts say price cuts in France and elsewhere have also helped to brake the move towards tap water and cheaper mineral water brands.

Danone recorded a 4.1% increase in overall sales in the third quarter to €3.8bn after slashing the price of its brands by up to 10%.

Source: Times Online

New York Pays For Water Bottles

The ‘Bigger, Better Bottle Bill’ was due to take effect 1 November, but state retail associations asked for a one-week delay for reprogramming cash registers.

It’s hoped that the initiative will boost recycling and remove millions of plastic bottles from landfills.

David Ried, president of Ried’s Food Barn at East Green and South Union streets, said his store is ready to accept properly labelled water products, but there may be a temporary shortage of properly labeled product to sell.

“We can’t sell it if it’s not properly labeled,” said Ried. He expects the newly labeled water products to be available very soon, however. He agreed to the ‘Bigger’ part of the slogan (‘Bigger, Better Bottle Bill’), but isn’t sure that it’s ‘better’.

“Competition will determine the price,” he said, adding that he didn’t think it would be unreasonable to see distributors pass along some of the added costs.

New York is the 11th state to require a bottled-water deposit, and the list is expected to grow. Americans last year threw away an estimated 2.5 million bottles an hour, according to data provided by the Clean Air Council.  Source: Foodbev

 

New Video Highlights Family Owned Water Bottlers In US

The International Bottled Water Association’s consumer website has produced a two-minute video entitled, ‘I Am Bottled Water’, which highlights the key role of small, family run businesses in producing bottled water.

                                                                      

“We’re showing an important aspect of the bottled water industry,” said Tom Lauria, IBWA’s vice president of communications. “Activists want you to think bottled water companies are strictly big business, but in fact the majority of bottled water companies in the US are small, family owned businesses. IBWA proudly represents both large and small companies. 90% of IBWA members are small business owners.”

In the ‘I Am Bottled Water’ video, bottlers from Virginia, North Carolina, California, Oregon and Pennsylvania share stories of how building a small business from scratch creates bonds within families and their communities.

In recent years, those critical of the bottled water industry have suggested that only large, multinational corporations are involved in the US market. The truth is that, from coast to coast, a wide majority of single-serve and home and office delivery five-gallon bottled water providers are local or regional businesses that play important roles in their communities.

Bottled water is a safe, healthy and convenient food product that’s comprehensively regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration. The families appearing in the video are indicative of all IBWA members, who are good stewards of natural resources, supporters of strong curbside recycling programes in their communities and generous contributors to many community-based charities.

Source: IBWA & Foodbev

 

Icelandic Glacial is official water at first Wembley Cup

Four world-class teams – including FC Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur, Glasgow Celtic and African champions Al Ahly of Egypt – will go head to head in their bid to lift the coveted cup at the home of English football during this landmark pre-season event.

Internationally recognised as one of the world’s purest and leading carbon-neutral certified natural mineral waters, Icelandic Glacial takes on the important role of official water supplier to the Wembley Cup, keeping the players cool and hydrated throughout the summer tournament.

Over the three-day event, Icelandic Glacial will be available to players and teams on and off the training pitch.

“We’re extremely proud to be involved with the inaugural Wembley Cup,” said Jon Olafsson, chairman and co-founder, Icelandic Glacial. “Iceland is known for its healthy population and water purity. With hydration playing such a critically important part in the world of competitive sports, it’s reassuring to know that the best players in the world will be hydrating their bodies with Icelandic Glacial, one of the purest waters in the world.”

Source: Foodbev.com

IBWA supports US water infrastructure system

In a letter to members of the US House of Representatives’ Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment, IBWA’s stated its objections to proposed new taxes on bottled water.

The Subcommittee is holding a hearing today on HR 3202, the Water Protection and Reinvestment Act, that seeks improve infrastructure by imposing new taxes on water-based beverages, produced disposed into wastewater, pharmaceuticals and corporate profits.

“IBWA opposes singling out and imposing a tax on water-based beverages,” said IBWA president and CEO, Joe Doss. “Like all other commercial users, water bottlers pay a predetermined rate for the use of that municipal water. It’s unfair and inequitable to single out water-based beverages, including bottled water, from a myriad other food and non-food industries and manufacturers in the US that use municipal water. It fails to address the totality of the water infrastructure challenges. Broad-based funding is essential to provide a sustainable source of revenue to improve our ageing water infrastructure.”

Source: IBWA