When it comes to bottled water, your readers should know the facts ("Maryland state offices going off the bottle," Oct. 1).
While tap water can be a perfectly fine choice, it is not always readily accessible when and where consumers need it. Bottled water provides individuals with the opportunity to enjoy fresh, healthy water wherever they are.
Importantly, our bottled water containers are 100 percent recyclable and are among the most recycled consumer products in the marketplace. Our companies support community recycling projects from coast to coast, and we are reducing packaging to use less plastic, incorporating more fuel-efficient fleet vehicles and using energy efficient buildings. These are efforts that will have true environmental impact.
Despite some misperceptions, plastic water bottles account for less than one-third of one percent of municipal waste and are a small speck of all consumer waste going to landfills. Yet, when it comes to the environmental challenges facing our nation, we're a big part of the solution.
Ellen Valentino, Annapolis
The writer is executive vice president of the Maryland/District of Columbia/Delaware Beverage Association.