Bottled Water Ban Flawed

The Iranian Bottled Water Association reacted to the recent decision of the Department of Environment to prohibit the use of bottled water in all its offices, describing the measure as inadequate.

Early last week, Isa Kalantari, the DOE chief, restricted bottled water usage in the department and all affiliated offices throughout the country to reduce the rising volume of plastic waste, ISNA reported.

Peyman Forouhar, the head of the association, argued that the move is flawed, although motivational and symbolic.

“The scheme is only limited to DOE and its affiliated centers that have an insignificant share of plastic waste, compared to other types of long-lasting garbage,” he said.

The negative environmental impacts of plastic waste, especially water bottles, are being increasingly targeted by campaigns worldwide, which intend to raise public awareness about the issue to protect Nature.

Providing stats, the official said that in 2014, European countries recycled over 8.1 million tons of bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate (commonly known as PET).

“This is while Iranian authorities have only banned the usage of bottled water whose consumers constitute only 3% of the Iranian society and only in a limited number of organizations,” Forouhar added.

The official called on environmental authorities to develop better waste treatment equipment to help revive the environment and create job opportunities.

Forouhar hoped officials will take more fundamental decisions about the problems and improve environmental standards rather than taking small and symbolic actions.