Proponents of the ban on bottled water say that it would reduce waste and protect the environment by preventing the manufacture, purchase, use, and discarding of up to 68 billion plastic water bottles a year. They also say that banning bottled water is good for our health because of reduced exposure to potentially contaminated sources of water and to the toxic chemicals emitted from the bottles themselves and the plastic bottle manufacturing plants. A ban would save consumers and local governments money, and protect local communities from the threat of depleted or contaminated municipal tap water supplies.
Opponents of the ban on bottled water say that it would remove a healthy beverage choice for consumers, leading to increased consumption of unhealthy sugary drinks. They also say that the ban is misguided as a waste-saving measure as other beverages are sold in containers that are more harmful than plastic water bottles. A ban would remove a practical option for water storage and dissemination during times when municipal tap water supplies are contaminated, as well as removing a beverage choice that the majority of American consumers want, negatively harming small business profits.
(via Should Bottled Water Be Banned? - Top 4 Pros and Cons - ProCon.org)
Source: procon.org
