National Parks Service ends ban on disposable water bottles

The federal government says it’s eliminating a policy that let national parks like the Grand Canyon ban the sale of bottled water.

The National Parks Service announced the change in a statement released Wednesday. The rules were put in place in 2011 in response to discarded water bottles becoming a big litter problem in national parks.

Officials say 23 of the 417 National Parks Service sites have implemented the 2011 policy. Those include some of the nation’s most popular destinations like Zion National Park, Grand Canyon National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park.

Spokesman Jeremy Barnum says the Parks Service believes visitors can best choose the right beverages for themselves and their families when visiting national parks across the United States. Officials say parks will still promote recycling plastic water bottles, and many have worked with partners to provide free stations for filling bottles.