Saguaro National Park is banning the sale of disposable bottled water and soda in vending machines within the park. They join a number of parks and universities no longer selling products in plastic bottles.

Saguaro conducted a thorough analysis of the potential impacts of eliminating the sale of disposable bottled water and soda, and determined that the more sustainable solution is to provide new water bottle filling stations for visitors to refill their own reusable containers.

There are new water bottle filling stations located at each visitor center as well as the Rincon Mountain District bike ramada. BPA free, reusable water bottles are available for purchase in either visitor center for as little as $1.99.

The EPA estimates that less than 15% of plastic water bottles are recycled, which means the rest are thrown away and go into landfills.

Click here for the Saguaro National Park announcement.