SAN FRANCISCO— San Francisco Airport (SFO) set its sights on zero waste by 2021. The only truly reusable and recyclable bottled water, PATHWATER is replacing single-use plastic bottles, keeping SFO on track to hit their zero waste goals. PATHWATER’s purified water in a refillable and recyclable aluminum bottle is currently the most widely available bottled water in more than 20+ SFO airport shops, including a co-branded partnership with Napa Farms Market. Travelers will now have better options for choosing bottled water, as SFO has narrowed down allowable water packaging to reusable, aluminum, and glass options. The main points for travelers to note are:
- The increase in convenience
- You can still buy bottled water; it will now be sustainable
- 100 water refill stations with cold water from Hetch Hetchy
- More sustainable options, less guilt at the register
- Better hydration for travelers
- Affordable, reusable bottled water now sold, look for PATHWATER
Why Zero Waste — a Circular Economy at SFO
On average, nearly 8,000,000 tons of plastic end up in our oceans each year, and 9,000 plastic water bottles are purchased at SFO daily. To correct this waste stream flaw, SFO is, “pivoting away from a conventional lifecycle of a product with a finite end to a zero-waste system that focuses on reinventing consumption into a process of renewal and regeneration that mitigates environmental impacts and builds a circular economy through a suite of new jobs required to ensure a product has a continuous journey,” according to SFO’s Zero-Waste Roadmap.
As the first bottled water to introduce reusability to the beverage industry, PATHWATER is now one of the unique and genuine solutions offered at SFO as they achieve their zero-waste goals. PATHWATER will provide guests with the first sustainable bottled water that offers purified water in a reusable aluminum bottle, boosting consumer sustainability by taking it to a whole new level – an experience no other bottled water has focused on.
In addition to airports, PATHWATER is boosting sustainability initiatives across the globe by helping many institutions easily transition away from single-use plastic water bottles like corporate campuses, college campuses, K-12 school districts, hotels, gyms, and just about anywhere single-use is sold. “It is our number one mission to get single-use plastic water bottles off every shelf, and we’re happy to be a part of the solutions offered at SFO in our shared mission to lead airport sustainability through zero-waste efforts,” said Ali Orabi, Co-Founder and VP of Marketing.
SFO’s Plan to Achieve Zero-Waste
SFO officials created a comprehensive plan in 2017 to reach the Zero Waste goal. In 2019, SFO launched the Zero Waste Concessions Program, where SFO is working to achieve the goal of eliminating one of the most significant contributors of waste generated at the Airport, single-use plastic. Instead of plastic being sold at SFO shops, eateries, and airline lounges, guests will be provided with reusable, compostable, and recyclable alternatives, as well as reusable bottled water options, like PATHWATER. To enhance SFO traveler experience and increase zero waste efforts, approximately 100 hydration stations and drinking fountains have been installed in all terminals. Now passengers, customers, and employees will be able to buy their PATHWATER and after drinking the purified water that it comes with, find one of the many refill stations and refill their reusable/refillable bottle, with delicious filtered and sustainably sourced Hetch Hetchy water.
Not only will SFO be eliminating plastic waste; if a passenger decides not to keep their bottled water, the Airport has an excellent recycling and composting system. Aluminum, glass or any of the recyclable and compostable items can be placed in clearly labeled bins, leading to major reductions in landfill waste. In order to eliminate waste, single-use plastic bottles, drink boxes which are lined with plastic, and products with unsubstantiated sustainability claims will not be sold at the Airport. This is huge, as it means the SFO mission is not a greenwashed effort, but a genuine move toward sustainable practices.
Plastic Bottled Water Will Not Be Missed
A pilot study at London’s Heathrow Airport indicated that a typical passenger generated 3 pounds of cabin waste. Out of the 3 pounds of waste across short and long-haul international flights, 17% is comprised of plastic bottles and newspapers (International Air Transport Association (IATA)). “PATHWATER was created with a mission to replace single-use plastic beverage packaging with truly sustainable options, such as aluminum. We’ve created a hybrid for bottled water, which includes purified sustainably sourced water in a reusable canteen-style bottle. Travelers and employees at SFO will be able to purchase PATHWATER and keep the bottle for as long as they wish. As long as someone keeps refilling their PATHWATER bottle, the more they are keeping plastic out of our oceans, landfills, and polluting the air we breathe” explains Ali Orabi.
PATHWATER being an option at SFO will allow passengers to consider safe material and reusability options when purchasing products and services, and place the airport as a leader in sustainability efforts and proof that achieving zero waste is attainable. The Airport services more than 50 million passengers annually, so eliminating plastic water bottle waste and replacing the options with reusable bottled water will be contributing to a circular economy and proving how sustainable options are easily achievable. “Instead of drinking PATHWATER one time and throwing the bottle away, this is the bottle you can keep and you can refill for as long as you want” explains PATHWATER’s Co-founder & CEO, Shadi Bakour.
About PATHWATER
PATHWATER is the creator of the first-ever reusable bottled water on the market – a hybrid of purified water in a 100% reusable and recyclable aluminum bottle. PATHWATER is on a dedicated mission to provide solutions to the plastic crisis and change the beverage industry as a whole. Founded in 2015, PATHWATER has three goals: (1) to provide a sustainable option to reduce and reuse; (2) to educate others about reducing waste and; (3) change a stagnant, polluting industry of single-use plastic. PATHWATER puts people and the planet before profits. For more information, visit: drinkpathwater.com and support the #RefillNotLandfill revolution on Facebook and Instagram.