Fiji Water
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Country | Fiji |
---|---|
Source | artesian aquifer |
Type | artesian |
pH | 7.5 |
Calcium (Ca) | 17 |
Magnesium (Mg) | 13 |
Silica (SiO2) | 85 |
TDS | 210 |
Website | http://www.fijiwater.com |
All concentrations in milligrams per liter (mg/L); pH without units |
FIJI Water is a brand of bottled water which is bottled in the Fiji Islands. The water comes from an artesian aquifer in the Yaqara Valley of Viti Levu.
The company was formed in 1996 by David Gilmour,[1] one-time partner in Clairtone Sound Corporation Limited, and the first bottles were shipped to the United States in late 1997. FIJI Water later became available at more retail locations throughout North America, the United Kingdom, France (mainly at le Bon Marché in Paris), Australia, much of the Caribbean,Mexico, as well as Germany. Roll International is the parent company [2].
FIJI Water is available in .33 liter, .5 liter, 1 liter and 1.5 liter bottles.
FIJI Water's artesian aquifer[3] is in a virgin ecosystem at the edge of a primitive rainforest, a continent away from the nearest industrialized civilization [citation needed]. The company claims that in the case of FIJI Water, location is key, and because of the islands' remote displacement from other continents, it is protected by its isolation from pollutants and other negative artificial contaminants.
Production Criticism
Fiji Water has been criticized for the environmental costs embedded in each bottle. The production plant runs on diesel fuel, 24 hours a day[4]. The high-grade plastic used to make the bottles is transported from China to Fiji, and then (full of water) to the United States. A 1 liter bottle of FIJI Water contaminates 6.74 liters of water to stretch-blow mold the plastic, burns fossil fuel to transport plastics from China and full bottles to the U.S., and produces 0.25 kg of greenhouse emissions[5].
Recently, the company has taken efforts to curtail its carbon footprint in the hopes of becoming carbon negative through reduced product emissions, increased usage of renewable energy, and the offsetting of remaining emissions by 120%, starting in 2008. In addition, the company plans to reduce the size of its packaging by at least 20% for 2010, as well as exploring opportunities to spur on recycling. [6]
See also
References
- ^ Sydney Morning Herald, "Hollywood couple buys Fiji Water for $63m", November 30, 2004
- ^ [1] Roll.com
- ^ FIJI Natural Artesian Water - What is artesian water?
- ^ Message in a Bottle
- ^ AskPablo: Exotic Bottled Water
- ^ Fijigreen.com