Image of a kid drinking from plastic water bottle against backdrop of plastic water bottles

Debate photos courtesy of families; Shutterstock.com (background, child holding bottle)

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Should Selling Bottled Water Be Banned?

Travelers at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in California need to think ahead about quenching their thirst. A new rule went into effect last summer banning the sale of plastic water bottles in the airport. Instead, people are encouraged to bring reusable bottles and fill them up at water fountains. LAX is the second airport in the world to make this change. 

People in favor of the decision say it’s a step in the right direction to saving the environment. According to a 2023 report by the United Nations, more than 1 million bottles of water are sold globally every minute. Most aren’t recycled properly and end up in landfills. 

But opponents of the new rule point out that bottled juice and soda are still sold at LAX. These options are a lot less healthy than water. Critics argue that if the airport is going to continue to allow the sale of other beverages in plastic bottles, why not water too? 

Here’s what two of our readers think.

From the factories they are made in to the trucks that deliver them, single-use water bottles lead to a lot of waste and pollution. Most wind up in landfills, where they can take hundreds of years to decompose. Some bottles end up in the ocean, where they can harm marine animals.

Plus, the water bottles we buy in stores contain tiny pieces of plastic that are unhealthy. Drinking from reusable bottles helps people save money and is safer for humans and the environment.

Some people prefer bottled water over tap water, and they should be allowed to make that choice. If airports and other places stop selling bottled water, people might not drink enough water. 

And what about emergencies? After natural disasters, tap water can become polluted with germs and chemicals and could make people sick. During these kinds of water-related emergencies, bottled water is the safest source of clean water. Stores should be allowed to sell it.

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