We recently read about a study by the Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) which searched to determine the environmental impact of the bottled water industry in the United States. The results were not surprising to us, but thought they might be for some of our readers who are not as familiar with the recent strides that bottled water manufacturers (including many of our member companies) are taking to reduce and reuse packaging materials. The study, commissioned by the International Bottled Water Association, a trade association that represents the bottled water industry and a source of information about all types of bottled waters, concluded that bottled water makes a very small impression on the environment.

Meaningful actions like recycling, light-weighting packaging and just generally being environmentally conscious have propelled not just the bottled water industry, but also the larger non-alcoholic beverage industry, to become more green.

Our member companies are leading the way with 100 percent recyclable and reusable packaging. We’re working hard to reduce our environmental impact even further by making packaging of all our products even lighter and more reusable. While we may be a small part of the environmental challenge, we’re working to be a big part of the solution.

For more information on bottled water, please visit our Web site.