San Francisco Airport to Ban Sales of Plastic Water Bottles

If you’ve ever traveled through any airport, you know about that spot in the security line where, if you have a bottle of water or any other liquid, you have to throw the bottle away even if you haven’t finished your drink.

After getting through the security check, you’ll then pay airport prices if you want another bottle of water or another beverage to drink. If you find that annoying, just wait until you fly out of San Francisco International Airport.

Starting Aug. 20, SFO will no longer allow restaurants, vendors or vending machines to sell single-use plastic water bottles on airport grounds. KGO-TV reported that travelers who want to take water with them on their flights will have to bring their own bottles, or purchase a re-usable bottle to fill up at an airport fountain.

SFO is making the move to ban plastic water bottles as part of an airport plan to reduce overall landfill waste and energy use over the next two years.

The airport, which is on property owned by the city of San Francisco, also is enacting the ban in order to fall in line with a 2014 edict that bans plastic water bottles being sold on city-owned property.

The ban only includes plastic water bottles. Bottles of flavored water are exempted from the restriction, and it would seem as if sales of soda in plastic bottles would also be permitted.

The airport already bans single-use food service ware and accessories that are not compostable, and straws may only be given to customers who specifically request them.