Tagged: bottled water

While environmentalists are praising a decision by the National Park Service to abolish bottled water sales in the Grand Canyon within 30 days,  concerns about corporate influence at public parks  linger.

The plan to ban plastic water bottle sales in the Grand Canyon goes back to 2010.

But just before the new policy was to take effect, the Park Service halted it.

Critics complained that the parks chief caved in to Coca Cola, which bottles Dasani Water and has donated $13 million to the parks.

Grand Canyon National Park will begin banning the sale of bottled water inside the park within 30 days.

The decision could cost the park’s concessionaire, Xanterra Parks and Resorts, a pretty penny.

But the company is applauding the park’s decision.

Chris Lane, vice president of sustainability at Xanterra, says the company lobbied for the ban.

“Our foremost goal is to reduce waste and the impacts associated with bottled water," he said.