Canned water

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Large can of still water with other survival supplies Glasnost & Goodwill - survival supplies 03.jpg
Large can of still water with other survival supplies
Beverage can Tolkki20091027.jpg
Beverage can

Canned water is drinking water, including spring water, artesian spring water, purified water, carbonated water and mineral water, packaged in beverage cans made of aluminium or tin-plated steel. [1]

Individual serving aluminium cans and bottles are less common alternatives to bottled water. Canned water is often used where storage or distribution systems are set up for cans. Some companies have launched water in cans, offering a more environmentally sustainable alternative to plastic bottles.

Cans of various sizes are also used for storage of potable water for emergency preparedness. Water is an important part of individual or government stockpiles. Water was stored in steel cans, lined with plastic bags, under the United States Civil Defense program. Approximately twelve million 17.5-US-gallon (66 L) cans were deployed, and could hold water for more than ten years. [2]

Later, some manufacturers started to use a nitrogen flush to remove air and bacteria from their cans to prolong shelf life to 30 years or longer, making the water suitable for long-term storage.

Top of a can of carbonated mineral water Perrier can.jpg
Top of a can of carbonated mineral water

Plastic bottled water is known to have negative environmental consequences. [3] It is estimated that only about 9% of all plastic is recycled. About 79% of this plastic waste is disposed of in landfills, incinerated and littered, which results in some plastic entering waterways. [4] In contrast, up to 65% of all aluminium cans are recycled, making aluminium cans the most recycled beverage container on the planet. [5] Due to the detrimental impact of plastic on the environment, many manufacturers are turning towards aluminium cans and glass bottles as a more sustainable solution to packaged drinking water.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Recycling</span> Converting waste materials into new products

Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. This concept often includes the recovery of energy from waste materials. The recyclability of a material depends on its ability to reacquire the properties it had in its original state. It is an alternative to "conventional" waste disposal that can save material and help lower greenhouse gas emissions. It can also prevent the waste of potentially useful materials and reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reducing energy use, air pollution and water pollution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bottle</span> Narrow-necked container

A bottle is a narrow-necked container made of an impermeable material in various shapes and sizes that stores and transports liquids. Its mouth, at the bottling line, can be sealed with an internal stopper, an external bottle cap, a closure, or induction sealing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drink can</span> Container specifically made for liquid such as beverages and usually made of aluminum

A drink can is a metal container designed to hold a fixed portion of liquid such as carbonated soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, fruit juices, teas, herbal teas, energy drinks, etc. Drink cans are made of aluminum or tin-plated steel. Worldwide production for all drink cans is approximately 370 billion cans per year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aluminum can</span> Small container made of aluminum, typically for drinks

An aluminum can is a single-use container for packaging made primarily of aluminum. It is commonly used for food and beverages such as olives and soup but also for products such as oil, chemicals, and other liquids. Global production is 180 billion annually and constitutes the largest single use of aluminum globally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bottled water</span> Water sold as a bottled product

Bottled water is drinking water packaged in plastic or glass water bottles. Bottled water may be carbonated or not, with packaging sizes ranging from small single serving bottles to large carboys for water coolers. The consumption of bottled water is influenced by factors such as convenience, taste, perceived safety, and concerns over the quality of municipal tap water. Concerns about the environmental impact of bottled water, including the production and disposal of plastic bottles, have led to calls for more sustainable practices in the industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reuse of bottles</span> Waste management

A reusable bottle is a bottle that can be reused, as in the case as by the original bottler or by end-use consumers. Reusable bottles have grown in popularity by consumers for both environmental and health safety reasons. Reusable bottles are one example of reusable packaging.

Dasani is an American based brand of bottled water created by the Coca-Cola Company, launched in 1999. It is one of many brands of Coca-Cola bottled water sold around the world. The product is filtered and bottled.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steel and tin cans</span> Sealed container for storage of foods

A steel can, tin can, tin, or can is a container made of thin metal, for distribution or storage of goods. Some cans are opened by removing the top panel with a can opener or other tool; others have covers removable by hand without a tool. Cans can store a broad variety of contents: food, beverages, oil, chemicals, etc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Container-deposit legislation</span> Return of beverage containers for refund

Container-deposit legislation is any law that requires the collection of a monetary deposit on beverage containers at the point of sale and/or the payment of refund value to the consumers. When the container is returned to an authorized redemption center, or retailer in some jurisdictions, the deposit is partly or fully refunded to the redeemer. It is a deposit-refund system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Water bottle</span> Container for liquids

A water bottle is a container that is used to hold liquids, mainly water, for the purpose of transporting a drink while travelling or while otherwise away from a supply of potable water.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Food packaging</span> Enclosure and protection of nutritional substances for distribution and sale

Food packaging is a packaging system specifically designed for food and represents one of the most important aspects among the processes involved in the food industry, as it provides protection from chemical, biological and physical alterations. The main goal of food packaging is to provide a practical means of protecting and delivering food goods at a reasonable cost while meeting the needs and expectations of both consumers and industries. Additionally, current trends like sustainability, environmental impact reduction, and shelf-life extension have gradually become among the most important aspects in designing a packaging system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tetra Pak</span> Swedish-Swiss multinational food packaging and processing company

Tetra Pak is a Swedish multinational food packaging and processing company headquartered in Switzerland. The company offers packaging, filling machines and processing for dairy, beverages, cheese, ice cream and prepared food, including distribution tools like accumulators, cap applicators, conveyors, crate packers, film wrappers, line controllers and straw applicators.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plastic bottle</span> Narrow-necked container

A plastic bottle is a bottle constructed from high-density or low density plastic. Plastic bottles are typically used to store liquids such as water, soft drinks, motor oil, cooking oil, medicine, shampoo, milk, ink, etc. They come in a range of sizes, from very small bottles to large carboys. Consumer blow molded containers often have integral handles or are shaped to facilitate grasping.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disposable food packaging</span>

Disposable food packaging comprises disposable products often found in fast-food restaurants, take-out restaurants and catering establishments. Typical products are foam food containers, plates, bowls, cups, utensils, doilies and tray papers. These products can be made from a number of materials including plastics, paper, bioresins, wood and bamboo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Container deposit legislation in the United States</span> Overview of the container deposit legislation in United States of America

There are ten states in the United States of America with container deposit legislation, popularly called "bottle bills" after the Oregon Bottle Bill, the first such legislation that was passed.

Bottled water bans have been proposed and enacted in several municipalities and campuses everywhere over such concerns as resource wastage, transportation emissions, plastic litter, and damage to affected aquifers.

Reusable packaging is manufactured of durable materials and is specifically designed for multiple trips and extended life. A reusable package or container is "designed for reuse without impairment of its protective function." The term returnable is sometimes used interchangeably but it can also include returning packages or components for other than reuse: recycling, disposal, incineration, etc. Typically, the materials used to make returnable packaging include steel, wood, polypropylene sheets or other plastic materials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plastic container</span>

Plastic containers are containers made exclusively or partially of plastic. Plastic containers are ubiquitous either as single-use or reuseable/durable plastic cups, plastic bottles, plastic bags, foam food containers, Tupperware, plastic tubes, clamshells, cosmetic containers, up to intermediate bulk containers and various types of containers made of corrugated plastic. The entire packaging industry heavily depends on plastic containers or containers with some plastic content, besides paperboard and other materials. Food storage nowadays relies mainly on plastic food storage containers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of bottle recycling in the United States</span>

The history of bottle recycling in the United States has been characterized by four distinct stages. In the first stage, during the late 18th century and early 19th century, most bottles were reused or returned. When bottles were mass-produced, people started throwing them out, which led to the introduction of bottle deposits. However, during the second stage, after World War II, consumption patterns changed and nonreturnable containers became popular, which littered the environment. Some states implemented "bottle bills" that instituted deposits. The beverage-container industry first implemented private recycling programs and then pushed for municipal curbside recycling as an alternative to "bottle bills". More recently, PET bottles have largely replaced other materials. The United States used to be the front-runner when it came to recycling PET, but European countries have since outpaced the US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Packaging waste</span> Post-use container and packing refuse

Packaging waste, the part of the waste that consists of packaging and packaging material, is a major part of the total global waste, and the major part of the packaging waste consists of single-use plastic food packaging, a hallmark of throwaway culture. Notable examples for which the need for regulation was recognized early, are "containers of liquids for human consumption", i.e. plastic bottles and the like. In Europe, the Germans top the list of packaging waste producers with more than 220 kilos of packaging per capita.

References

  1. Archer, R (12 July 2015). "Canned water offers an alternative packaging option – but will consumers always associate water with plastic bottles?". Beverage Daily: 1. Retrieved 6 Nov 2018.
  2. Fallout Shelter Supplies-Water Barrel Page. Civildefensemuseum.org. Retrieved on 2010-09-29.
  3. "Global Brand Audit Report 2019". Break Free From Plastic. Archived from the original on 2019-10-25. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  4. National Geographic. NationalGeographic.com Retrieved on 2019-07-09.
  5. Aluminum Association Archived 2021-09-14 at the Wayback Machine . Aluminum.org Retrieved on 07-09-2019.