National Parks Service ends ban on disposable water bottles

National Parks Service announced Wednesday they will be eliminating a policy that allowed national parks like the Grand Canyon to ban the sale of bottled water.

The rules were put in place in 2011 after discarded water bottles became a big litter problem in national parks.

Officials say 23 of the 417 National Parks Service sites had 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.

The Parks Service believes visitors can best choose the right beverages for themselves and their families when visiting national parks across the United States, said Spokesman Jeremy Barnum.

Officials say parks will continue to promote recycling plastic water bottles, and many have worked with partners to provide free stations for filling bottles.