Time to challenge convenience and commit to 'precycling' our waste

KRISTA SAWCHUK (London Chapter)
The London Free Press
August 30, 2008

I would like to commend London city council for demonstrating strong and progressive leadership in its decision to ban the purchase and sale of single-use bottled water in all city facilities. This decision has inspired other municipalities, such as Toronto, Vancouver and Ottawa. to also consider taking similar action.

Many of opponents of the ban believe we can divert the waste being created by these bottles if the city strengthens its recycling program.

While it is important to support the practice of recycling, we need to become more aware of the reality that recycling alone is not the answer to curbing the vast amounts of waste our society produces.

Rather than creating waste to be recycled, people should engage more readily and regularly in a practice called "precycling." Precycling is the practice of reducing waste by attempting to avoid bringing into the home or business items that generate waste.

Drinking tap water instead of bottled water is an example of how to engage in the act of precycling. Tap water is a clean, healthy and safe alternative to bottled water, and it can be accessed without the use of wasteful packaging.

Here are some facts that council considered:

• In both the production and disposal of single-use plastic water bottles, toxic chemicals (ethylene oxide, benzene and xylenes) are released into the air and water.
• Plastic bottles are made from non-renewable resources, such as natural gas and crude oil. It takes close to 17 million barrels of oil to produce the 30 billion water bottles Americans use annually. If bottled water did not exist, enough oil would be saved to run 100,000 cars for one year.
• Bottled water companies obtain their water from rural springs and public systems. They pay very little or sometimes nothing for what they take. Yet, these same companies charge consumers high prices for their water.
• Although bottled water companies claim their water is cleaner and safer than tap water, a multitude of studies has proven this is not the case.
  Several peer-reviewed scientific studies have found disturbing concentrations of arsenic and mercury in bottled water samplings.

By selling bottled water, these companies are preparing for the takeover of public water services by for-profit water service corporations by creating distrust in municipal water systems and by conditioning us to pay for water.

The United Nations and many human advocacy organizations, such as Amnesty International and the Council of Canadians. are urging the international community to recognize the right to water as a fundamental human right.

Unfortunately, under the the Harper government, Canada has opposed all attempts to enshrine the right to water. As a result, those who support this cause have concluded this movement must begin at the local level.

Krista Sawchuk is on the health protection committee of the Council of Canadians, London chapter.