A policy aimed at reducing plastic litter in America's national parks has been rescinded, but the National Park Service says it will continue to encourage park visitors to use reusable water bottles instead of buying disposable ones.
As multiple media outlets reported this month, the policy was put in place in 2011 and encouraged national parks to end the sale of bottled water. The policy is commonly referred to as a "ban" on bottled water sales, but as NPR notes, that's not the case. In fact, of America's 417 Park Service sites, only 23 implemented restrictions on sales of bottled water.
One of those was Arizona's Grand Canyon National Park, where filling stations for reusable water bottles have long been a common sight at the park's developed areas. Park officials did not immediately return a request for comment on how the rescinding of the policy might affect park operations. But the Park Service says it will continue to encourage the use of reusable bottles "as appropriate."
The International Bottled Water Association lauded the decision, noting that the 2011 policy still allowed the sale of other drinks, such as soft drinks and teas, in disposable bottles.