Fiji Water
 | This article may lend undue weight to certain ideas, incidents, or controversies. (March 2010) |
| 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 from the Fiji Islands. The water comes from an artesian aquifer in the Yaqara Valley of Viti Levu. Fiji Water is available in 330ml, 500ml, 1 liter and 1.5 liter bottles.
History
The company was formed in 1996 by David Gilmour, one-time partner in Clairtone Sound Corporation Limited[1]. The first bottles were shipped to the United States in late 1997 and later became available in Europe and beyond[citation needed]. The billionaire industrial agriculture couple Stewart and Lynda Rae Resnick (affiliated with the companies Teleflora, POM Wonderful, pesticide manufacturer Suterra, and Paramount Agribusiness)[2] are currently involved in this company.
Fijian Government Dispute
In 2007-2008, disputes with the Fiji government over export duties led to legal cases, impounded shipments and a self-imposed industry-wide shutdown of Fijian water bottlers. The government eventually dropped its proposed 20-cent per liter tax.[3] In December 2008, Fiji Water laid off 40% of its staff due to weakening sales.[4]
Environmental and Social
FIJI Water has been criticized for the environmental costs embedded in each bottle. The production plant runs on diesel fuel, 24 hours a day. The high-grade plastic used to make the bottles is transported from China to Fiji, and then (full of water) to the United States and other countries.[5] Activists have also claimed that "while thousands of Fijians do not have access to clean water", the company ships its bottled water thousands of miles to the United States and Europe.[6] In 2008, the company launched a promotional campaign and publicized intentions to become carbon negative, to reduce the size of its packaging 20% by 2010, and to explore recycling opportunities.[7][8][9]
See also
References
- ^ Sydney Morning Herald, "Hollywood couple buys Fiji Water for $63m", November 30, 2004
- ^ "Democratic lawmakers call on Senator Feinstein to retract water proposal". CAIVN. 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-20.
- ^ Fiji government yields to bottled water company pressure, IceNews, Chris Bolwig, July 26, 2008.
- ^ Bottled Waters Lose Their Effervescence, Business Week, January 30, 2009
- ^ Message in a Bottle
- ^ IceNews Covers Fiji Bottled Water Controversy
- ^ Fijigreen.com
- ^ "Environmental Stewardship for FIJI Water". CoolBusinessIdeas.com. 2008-10-03. Retrieved 2009-02-16.
- ^ "FIJI Water Becomes First Bottled Water Company to Release Carbon Footprint of Its Products" (Press release). FIJI Water. 2008-04-09. Retrieved 2009-02-16.
External links
- FIJI Water - Official site
- FIJI Water Foundation - FIJI Water's non-profit organization
- FIJI Green - Company's sustainability efforts
- FIJI Water blog - Company's official blog
- Shop FIJI Water - Delivery service
- Made in Fiji / FIJI Water Germany
- SLAUR STREET FOOD / FIJI Water France
- Bottled Insanity: The FIJI Water Problem
- "Spin the Bottle" by Mother Jones
- Fiji Water’s Ties to Military Junta, Environmental Record and Impact on Fijians - video report by Democracy Now!